Gen Z underestimates impact of social media on loneliness, Hong Kong poll finds

Members of Hong Kong’s Generation Z tend to underestimate the negative impact of social media on their mental health and those who frequently use the online platforms are lonelier than those who do not, a survey has found.

The Hong Kong Christian Service (HKCS) polled 572 young people aged 11 to 24 between September to December last year to better understanding the relationship between their use of social media and their level of isolation.

About 54 per cent of respondents were junior secondary pupils in Forms One to Three, followed by 37.4 per cent who were senior secondary students, the group said on Wednesday.

The poll found that 93.4 per cent of all respondents were active social media users.

Social media users scored slightly higher on the UCLA Loneliness Scale, averaging 20.5 points out of 40, falling between low and moderate levels of isolation, compared with 17.7 for non-users.

The poll found that 5.8 per cent of active users, or 31 respondents, were potentially experiencing severe social isolation, compared with just a single non-user.