Safer Internet Day: Top tips for parents worried their child is addicted to social media, according to experts

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Many parents are growing worried that their child may be addicted to social media as scrollingon apps has become a part of the daily routine for many Brits.

But how can you tell if a child is addicted or just spending more time on their phones than you would prefer.It is a year-round issue for many parents, but becomes especially apparent around this time due to Safer Internet Day on February 11.

This day is used to promote safe, responsible, and positive use of digital technology for young people in the country.Excessive social media use does not seem to be just a UK issue - with research conducted by the University of Cambridge last year finding that 48 per cent of British teenagers feel like they are addicted to social media - but a global one.Data released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) last autumn showed a "sharp rise" in problematic social media use among 280,000 young adults in Europe, Canada and central Asia.

These results can show why parents are increasingly becoming concerned about their child's technology usage.Lee Fernandes, lead therapist at the UK Addiction Treatment Centres (UKAT) Group, said: "Parents should be worried about social media addiction, as we know first-hand that it’s a very real problem.