The inappropriate use of technology affects all childhood problems and accounts for 56.4% of cases analyzed by ANAR. 69.8% of children and adolescents with technology addiction issues and 80% of those experiencing non-consensual sexting have low academic performance.
This information is from the study ‘Technology: Impact on Childhood and Adolescence in Spain, According to Their Testimony’, presented by the ANAR Foundation and conducted by the ANAR Research and Studies Center, analyzing 11,164 cases assisted through ANAR Help Lines between June 2023 and June 2024.
«In cases of technology addiction, minors are not focused, they do not pay attention to their studies,» said Diana Díaz, director of ANAR Help Lines, during the study presentation. In 56.4% of cases (6,300), the inappropriate use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) was involved in the origin or aggravation of the issue that prompted the consultation.
The report highlights that 54.5% of children and adolescents with technology-related issues do not receive any psychological attention. The study concludes that the inappropriate use of technology «is present transversally in all issues affecting childhood and adolescence.» Sometimes they are problems enabled by technology that did not exist before, such as cyberbullying, technology addiction, cyberbullying, grooming, and non-consensual sexting.
In other cases, the problem worsens or is reinforced by the involvement of inappropriate technology use. The issues with the highest impact are those related to violence, pornography, and prostitution (87.5%), gender-based violence (76.7%), expulsion from home (64.1%), and psychological abuse (60.8%).
Regarding mental health issues, there is an incidence in behavioral problems (64.2%), suicidal ideation and/or attempts (61.7%), and self-harm (54.5%). In other cases, there is a significant presence of ICT in disappearances (75.4%) and legal issues (52%), such as identity theft through AI, threats, or coercion between parents, among others.
«Suicidal behavior is present in all types of issues related to technologies, either directly or indirectly. We are encountering minors facing extreme situations alone, without professional attention, emotional support, supervision in the appropriate use of technology, and not knowing how to seek help,» said the director of ANAR Help Lines.
The most common profile in consultations received by the ANAR Foundation corresponds to girls and adolescent women (63.8%), except in cases of technology addiction, where the incidence among boys is higher (54.6%, 9.2 percentage points more than among girls). The most frequent age is 14 years, with a range between 9 and 16 years and an average of 12.5 years. In situations like cyberbullying and grooming, this average slightly increases.
There is also a higher incidence in families with a single parent (58.3%) or shared custody (60.1%), compared to families where both parents live together.
According to the report, 79.7% of cases analyzed are of high severity, and 71.8% are considered urgent by ANAR Foundation professionals. Furthermore, 65.4% of these situations last for more than a year, and in 70.7% of cases, the events are repeated daily.
Additionally, 56.4% of minors express dissatisfaction with their school life, a percentage that rises to 77% in cyberbullying and 75% in non-consensual sexting. This chronicization is directly related to the lack of early intervention, the silence surrounding many of these situations, and the normalization of certain behaviors in the digital environment.
In response to this scenario, ANAR’s intervention has had to intensify significantly. Nearly three out of four cases assisted (73.5%) require psychological, legal, and social guidance simultaneously, the most comprehensive guidance provided by ANAR Help Lines. «We are dealing with more severe, urgent, and challenging cases,» emphasized Diana Díaz.
RECOMMENDATIONS: PREVENT, ACCOMPANY, PROTECT, AND REGULATE
The legal director of ANAR Help Lines, Sonsoles Bartolomé, presented a set of recommendations aimed at all stakeholders: children and adolescents, families, childhood professionals, technology companies, and public institutions.
«We need to act on all fronts. Prevention in classrooms, support from families, effective regulation of the digital environment, and shared responsibility of technology platforms are key. Children’s rights must also be protected in the online environment,» she stated.
The document includes over 100 recommendations, highlighting the need for families to establish clear rules on technology use, enhance communication, and actively accompany their children’s digital lives.
In the school environment, there is an emphasis on providing digital, social, and affective-sexual education from an early age, training teachers in updated technological competencies, and ensuring that the ANAR Help Lines for Children and Adolescents are present in all classrooms, as indicated by the LOPIVI in its article 17.
Regarding the role of technology companies, the study demands «greater ethical responsibility in content design and reward mechanisms, the implementation of effective help channels, and prioritizing the best interests of the child in all decisions affecting the digital environment.»
As for public institutions, it calls for the approval of the Organic Law for the protection of minors in digital environments, as well as its effective implementation, with a focus on rights and children’s participation.
These recommendations aim to address the challenges presented by the impact of technology on childhood and adolescence, providing a comprehensive framework for all stakeholders to work collaboratively towards a safer and more supportive digital environment for young individuals.
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