The role of social media in enhancing adolescents’ digital life quality- survey study in the UAE

ABSTRACT

The study aims to investigate the effect of social media on adolescents’ digital life quality based on the descriptive analytical approach. It includes two questionnaires about using social media and the quality of digital life. Participants (N = 192) are adolescents residing in the UAE who study in middle and high schools and range in age from 13 to 16. They come from Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Ras Al-Khaimah Emirates. Findings show the significant role of social media in enhancing adolescents’ Digital Quality of Life. Findings also indicate statistically significant differences between respondents’ interests when using media applications in favour of those with scientific interests; they score the highest mean, 4.62. Also, there are statistically significant differences between the respondents when choosing their favourite means of communication; the differences favour Facebook by an arithmetic mean of 4.50, TikTok 4.39, Instagram 4.26, X 3.88, and Telegram 3.79.

KEYWORDS:

• Social media
• digital life quality
• adolescents
• connections
• networking sites

Introduction

Due to technological innovations, the media industry is undergoing some of the most fundamental changes nowadays. These innovations include digital programmes, social networking sites, and reporting news using drones. Sharing via social media, such as ‘Facebook,’ ‘X’ and ‘YouTube,’ … etc., is one of the most critical aspects of information technology.

It quickly becomes apparent that social media is distinguished from traditional media; its digital content interacts with the recipients and affects them. This media technology has become an area of research to examine digital society, which has become an integral part of people’s lives worldwide. It has led to social, economic, and psychological shifts in individuals’ awareness and facilitated social interaction between individuals (Yujie et al., 2022).

In a study conducted by (Gil-Madrona, Aguilar-Jurado, et al., 2019), he pointed out that sports exercising is linked to habits and behaviours; there is a noticeable lack of physical activity among adolescents, high rates of consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, and the withdrawal of a large portion of adolescents into digital life and immersion in virtual relationships.

In another study he conducted by (Gil-Madrona, Aguilar-Jurado, et al., 2019) on a sample of 1,132 young people from the Castilla-La Mancha region (Spain), 53.4% of them were women and 46.6% were men from adolescents between the ages of 17 and 25 years. The results showed low rates of physical activity, with only 25% of participants practicing physical activity in their free time. There is no difference between males and females. Inferential analyses revealed several essential relationships between leisure time habits and physical activity. The analysis cleared that alcohol, tobacco consumption, and the Internet as a way to escape from daily life, where participants’ leisure activities during the week were the use of new technologies as well as the consumption of harmful substances on weekends

On the other hand, Slavkovi’c et al. (2023) indicated that the quality of digital life or digital citizenship means the presence of a secure digital society, enhancing a positive identity with meaningful digital interaction, and ensuring a positive, healthy digital environment for individuals because of their virtual world.

From all previous, the researchers divided the quality of digital life into four factors (National Policy for Quality of Digital Life. UAE 2022)

• Digital capability: It means building the individuals’ abilities and enabling them to use the Internet consciously and adequately.

• Digital behaviour: It enhances individuals’ positive digital values and behaviours.

• Digital content: It means preparing guidelines on using positive content.

• Digital communication: It aims to protect people from the risks of dealing with suspicious parties virtually.

Study problem

Adolescence represents a significant milestone for each person and has the greatest impact on his life. Social media has attracted adolescents, affected them through various means, and affected their quality of life (Benvenuti et al., 2023) and (Rose et al., 2022).

Burr et al., (2020) has indicated that the quality of digital life significantly impacts adolescents’ lives today. This concept should be addressed widely, and particularly in light of the scarce research in this field. So, the presented paper aims to determine how adolescents use social media and the extent to which it affects the quality of their digital lives in the United Arab Emirates.

Study questions

R Q. 1: What is the extent of adolescents’ use of social media?

R Q. 2: What is the impact of adolescents’ use of social media on the quality of their digital life?

R Q. 3: What is the effect of the adolescents’ demographic variables (gender – age – specialization – favourite means of communication) on their use of social media?

Study objectives

• Investigating the impact of social media on adolescents’ digital life quality.

• Analyzing the social media addressing adolescents with its different means to enhance the quality of their digital life.

• Determining the characteristics of social media in the current era.

Study significance

• Theoretical significance: This study analyzes the cultural awareness of social media and the quality of digital life for adolescents in the UAE.

• Practical significance: This study focuses on analysing adolescents’ responses to social media’s role in enhancing the quality of their digital lives and how this will affect their behaviours and thinking styles in the future.

Study terms

Social media

A variety of techniques that enable us to produce, publish, and consume media content. It uses online and offline electronic media devices such as computers and mobiles. etc (Jiang, 2022).

Quality of digital life

It is the positive human-computer interaction. It integrates the digital world with the physical one through specific skills. It means directing digital channels towards achieving particular goals. It is concerned with avoiding the excessive, harmful use of new digital media (Gui et al., 2017, p. 158).

Literature review

There is a substantial amount of research on the study issue. The existing literature on social media and the quality of digital life are addressed as follows: -

Social media

Ajijola (2023) Several studies suggest that social media might have both positive and negative effects. Positive results include improved learning opportunities, socialization, communication, and access to health-related information.

Nip and Cheng(2022) aimed to examine the impact of alternative digital new media in the mixed media environment. The study analysed the content of social movements’ Facebook pages in Taiwan and Hong Kong. It showed the significant impact of digital new media (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X, and Telegram) as an alternative media.

Orji-E et al. (2019) discussed the impact of digital media on public relations in the new media era. questionnaires introduced to a sample of (12) P.R. practitioners in government and private institutions in Ebony State in Nigeria. The results showed that digital media effectively impacted public relations practice; it improved its performance and dealt with various issues.

Saxena (2019) discussed the impact of digital media (Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and Telegram) on print media in India. a questionnaire introduced to a sample of (249) young people in India. findings indicate a significant decrease in print newspaper circulation among youth and adolescents. It added that Indian youth prefer to use social networking sites in print media.

Quality of digital life

Kolosova et al. (2023) refer to the conditions of post-industrial society that are significantly changing human life. Digital technologies open new opportunities, so the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly boosted digitalization. People and businesses are more actively using digital technologies. The most promising areas by 2024 will be wireless communication technologies, neurotechnologies, artificial intelligence, distributed registry systems, virtual and augmented reality technologies, robotics and sensory components, new manufacturing, and quantum technologies.

Burr et al. (2020) presented a review of the studies that dealt with the ethics of digital life. The results concluded that the quality of digital life would receive much attention from researchers because it can improve the quality of individuals’ lives and will be a requirement with the blooming technology of the present age.

Gil-Madrona, Aguilar-Jurado, et al. (2019) state that it is of the utmost importance to mention the definition of health proposed by the World Health Organization, which refers to a whole state of physical, mental, and social well-being. These aspects highlight social, mental, physical, and technological relevance.

Gil-Madrona, Prieto-Ayuso, et al. (2019). The study concluded that it is important to monitor adolescents and enhance their activity, which contributes to improving their quality of life in general and their technical quality of life.

Diefenbach discussed the role of technology in supporting American individuals’ well-being and happiness. a questionnaire introduced to (177) university graduates. The study revealed the importance of digital well-being as a therapeutic interaction. so Digital well-being makes individuals feel satisfied and happy, yet achieving it has many challenges.

Regarding the relationship between digital access and quality of life, (Cohn et al., 2018) used a questionnaire with a sample of (27490) individuals in South Africa. The study indicated that digitally connected individuals enjoy a higher quality of digital life than others. The digitally connected life promotes social and economic inclusion.

AzizulHaq and Abdullah (2012) evaluated the impact of information technology on high school students’ quality of life and well-being by a questionnaire applied to a sample of (200) students in the schools of Aligarh Islamic University in India. The results found a positive impact of information technology on the student’s quality of life concerning knowledge acquisition.

Comment on the literature review

Previous research has shown a link between using new media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, and easy access to news and information. It has been added that adolescents deal with various contents through new media and spend much time using it (e.g. Nip & Yu – Cheng, 2022; Orji-E et al., 2019; Saxena, 2019). A little work has been done on the quality of digital life. It has assured that social media allows the emergence of the concept of the quality of digital life, and digital technologies have an impact on individuals’ well-being (e.g. AzizulHaq & Abdullah, 2012; Burr et al., 2020; Cohn et al., 2018).

The theoretical study

New media concept

New media or digital media is a concept produced by the modern technological revolution, and media researchers have not yet agreed on a specific definition for it. However, new media are pervasive in the lives of young people, through which they encounter a diverse range of content, contacts, conduct, and contract risks (O’Neill, 2023).

With rising internet penetration, many researchers have been interested in studying new media. Todorova-E et al. (2022) They have seen it as a new type of media that is different from traditional media. It is characterized by immediacy and interactivity. Moreover, it can publish various content in distinct forms, achieving a significant effect. (Orji-E et al., 2019) & (Newman, 2023).

Social media relies mainly on the Internet. The Internet enables all media professionals to present their media products digitally. It allows them to combine text, sound, and image and erases the borders between the recipient and the sender. Thus, digital media communication is an electronic service that uses modern electronic technologies resulting from integrating communication and information technology (Chu, 2018).

This media type is called digital media, interactive media, or hypermedia. In addition, it refers to hypertext technology, a system for linking related text documents and allowing users to browse the World Wide Web (www) (Sharma & Gupta, 2021).

Also, the new media is called ‘online media’ or ‘cyber media’. Some researchers call it ‘info media’ to describe the mating between computers and communication. This points to the emergence of a new media system that benefits from the development of information technology (Tran et al., 2020).

Digital media environment

The new media has been linked to the information and communication technology revolution. It started with the emergence of electronic newspapers and magazines, representing a recent media phenomenon. As the advent of electronic applications and blogs increases, users can print, copy, create content, and distribute it using high-tech devices or mobile phones (Jiang, 2022).

Saxena (2019) indicated that the new media in our era is the key driver of daily events and has contributed to activating humanity and civilization at all economic, social, and scientific levels.

Zúñiga and Chen (2019) confirmed that new media had become an integral part of citizens’ lives and a tool for spreading information. Expanding its applications and activities has contributed to the rapid spread of digital culture. It has transformed human civilizations from large, distant continents to small towns.

Contemporary developments of new media have provided intellectual tools that can be used to achieve more effective communication and diversity of information. The sociological model of the information society has constantly changed the whole community under the impact of daily digital communication (Peng et al., 2018).

It is reflected in daily dealings and has become a part of our lives. The transformation of communication from analog to digital, from hierarchical to web-based, has created a new environment in which to share information and opinions. This environment can be called ‘Eco media.’ It has provided opportunities for the emergence of digital citizens and citizen journalism (Todorova-E et al., 2022).

Users are no longer satisfied with traditional media products and have become dependent on digital media news and information (Shah, 2018). Today, we are experiencing an unprecedented transformation led by modern technology. Due to the new media, we are witnessing changes in our societal perceptions, work patterns, and production inputs (O’Neill, 2023).

Pradana, (2023) Statistics on new media use show that children aged 3–4 use tablets at home (28%). They added that children aged 9–16 watch video clips (76%), play video games (83%), use text messages (62%), log into social networks daily (82%), and use the Internet for homework (85%) (Das, 2020; Jungherr et al., 2017).

(Ofcom, 2016) conducted a study on 500 children. Its results showed that children aged 3 to 7 watch T.V. on the satellite device by (95%). Children between 3–4 and 5–7 years old watch T.V. on the tablet by (41%) and (49%) respectively. Respondents aged 3–4 and 5–7 play electronic games at (40%) and (66%) respectively. Those ages 3–4 and 5–7 years old use the tablet to access the Internet at (71%) and (63%) respectively. Finally, children between 3–4 and 5–7 years old access YouTube to watch cartoons and favourite videos at (48%) and (71%) consecutively.

Today, new digital media is witnessing consequent transformations and developments. These transformations have produced many social media tools, such as:

• Electronic journalism: It is a periodic electronic publication about current events. It can be read through a computer via the web. It provides news, comments, articles, reports, and investigations. (Newman, 2023).

• Digital satellite television: The Internet has changed the economic, social, and media landscape. It has become a partner in broadcasting audio-visual materials. The American ‘mbchgH’ channel is the first to broadcast its programmes on YouTube. (Phillips et al., 2022)

• Social networking sites are the most prominent new media types. These sites enable people to make friends, create content, and share photos and files. (Gil de Zúñiga & Diehl 2017)

• Digital broadcasting is represented in digital satellite radio and internet radio.

Overall, new media has added value to the field of media and communication because it is diverse, flexible, and interactive. In addition, it has enabled people to express themselves freely. Thus, researchers are keen to conduct more studies in this field to determine new research and theoretical trends.

The quality of digital life

The concept of the quality of digital life usually differs from one person to another. People determine their quality of life according to many standards, including income level, reaching goals, family stability, entertainment, leisure time, and physical and psychological health (Rizo et al., 2020).

When defining the quality of life, two main dimensions should be viewed: the objective and the subjective. Studies focused on the objective dimension, which includes a set of measurable and observable indicators, such as income level, work status, and social status (Nutakor et al., 2023). However, studies findings on social media allow the emergence of indicators that only contribute a tiny fraction of a person’s quality of life. (Buiting & Olthuis, 2020) & (Sagar, 2023).

The quality of life depends on the person’s realization of his life and this reflection on his lifestyle. Self-indicators play the largest role in defining the concept of life quality. So, each person has different criteria to determine the extent of his life quality. Many factors go into this process, such as experience, environment, genetic, cultural, and social aspects (Ventegodt et al., 2013, p. 120).

Over the past 20 years, many factors have led to the emergence of digital life quality, such as the development of digital technology, the growing popularity of digital applications, and the widespread use of the World Wide Web. This is followed by the penetration of mobile phones and social networking sites, achieving a significant paradigm shift in the digital world (Gui et al., 2017, p. 159).

Specific skills are required to achieve the quality of digital life under the excessive flow of information and electronic social relations. It is crucial to prevent the negative side of digital life by avoiding digital multitasking and excessive consumption (Gui et al., 2017, p. 159).

In order to achieve the quality of digital life under the excessive flow of information and electronic social relations, specific skills are required; it is important to prevent the negative side of digital life by avoiding digital multitasking and excessive consumption (Gui et al., 2017, p. 159).

The need for a digital lifestyle has emerged during crises, especially the COVID-19 crisis. This crisis has highlighted the need to enhance individuals’ digital lives regarding remote working and distance learning. Digital life has provided opportunities for skilled people and business innovators to enrich their experiences through the Internet. Also, it has allowed employers and companies to hire the right people to improve their services (Burr et al., 2020, p. 123).

Moreover, the quality of elderly life has improved in recent years due to information technology, smartphones, and computers. Damant et al. (2016, p. 3) assured that older people can increase their quality of life by using information technology, represented in email, network pages, and Skype, to gain better health care, communicate with family, and restore their relationships.

The study methodology

Study sample

Participants (N = 192) were adolescents residing in UAE who studied in Middle and high schools and ranged in age from 13 to 16. The sample included 89 (46.4%) males and 103 (53.6%) females, as in Figure 1.

Figure 1. shows the sample distribution by gender.

Figure 2 shows the sample distribution by age: 18.2% (n = 35) were 13 years old, 25% (n = 48) were 14 years old, 27.1% (n = 52) were 15 years old, and 29.7% (n = 57) were 16 years old.

Figure 2. shows sample distribution by age.

Figure 3 shows that The majority of the respondents had a scientific specialization (n = 97, 50.1%), 30.7% (n = 59) had a humanities specialization, and 18.8% (n = 36) did not specify their specialization.

Figure 3. shows sample distribution by specialization.

Figure 4 shows that 36.9% (n = 71) preferred to use Facebook, 15.1% (n = 29) preferred to use Instagram, 33.9% (n = 65) preferred TikTok, 7.8% (n = 15) preferred x, and 6.3% (n = 12) prefer Telegram. Also,

Figure 4. shows ample distribution by the favourite means of communication.

Also, it is crucial to classify the sample regarding Gender, Specialization, Favourite communications, Living place, and Nationalities as in Table 1.

Table 1. Shows the sample characteristics regarding gender, specialization, favourite communications, living place, and nationalities.

Factor		No.	Percent %
Gender	Male	89	46.4
	Female	103	53.6
Age	13	35	18.2
	14	42	21.9
	15	52	27.1
	16	57	29.7
Specialization	Scientific	97	50.5
	Humanities	59	30.7
	not specified	36	18.8
Favorite communications	Facebook	71	36.9
	Instagram	29	15.1
	TikTok	65	33.9
	X	15	7.8
	Telegram	12	6.3
Living Place	Dubai	33	17.2
	Sharjah	74	38.5
	Ajman	48	25
	Umm Al Quwain	23	11.9
	Ras Al-Khaimah	14	7.3
Nationality	UAE	32	16.7
	Egyptian	57	29.7
	Jordan	46	23.9
	Iraq	23	11.9
	Syrian	34	17.7

Study tools

The study used two questionnaires

-The first questionnaire was about using new media. It included (35) items that were shortened to (22) after the arbitrators’ comments. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to verify its validity, and it was (91.0).

-The second one was about digital life quality. It included (28) items that were shortened to (21) after the arbitrators’ comments. The relationship between each statement and the total score was calculated in Table 2 to verify the validity of the questionnaire as follows:

Table 2. shows the correlation coefficients between the score of each statement and the total score of the questionnaire on digital life quality.

	The statement correlation	The significance		The statement correlation	The significance		The statement correlation	The significance
1	0.87**	0.05	8	0.68**	0.05	15	0.51**	0.05
2	0.74**		9	0.69**		16	0.66**
3	0.87**		10	0.54**		17	0.79**
4	0.68**		11	0.68**		18	0.90**
5	0.85**		12	0.55**		19	0.62**
6	0.64**		13	0.74**		20	0.73**
7	0.59**		14	0.58**		21	0.58**

Findings

Regarding the study questions, the following tables show the answers to these questions:-

Q1: What is the extent of the adolescents’ use of social media? Table 3 refers to the findings as follows:

Table 3. shows the extent of adolescents’ use of social media.

	1	2	3	4	5	A.M.	S.D.	χ2
1	117	58	12	3	2	4.65	0.84	68.7b
2	133	45	9	4	1	4.31	0.67	58.2b
3	138	44	8	2	0	4.01	0.86	47.6 b
4	126	49	12	3	2	4.33	0.78	84.5 b
5	137	42	8	3	2	4.40	0.84	77.3 b
6	132	47	7	3	3	4.35	0.77	69.3 b
7	125	52	9	4	2	4.12	0.79	67.3 b
8	133	41	9	5	4	3.98	0.87	74.5 b
9	129	48	8	4	3	4.61	0.71	81.1 b
10	140	42	5	3	2	4.50	0.84	46.8 b
11	136	38	10	4	4	4.32	0.81	71.0 b
12	133	40	12	4	3	3.81	0.82	58.6 b
13	123	52	12	3	2	4.51	0.65	57.9 b
14	127	45	9	6	5	3.96	0.78	56.4 b
15	130	44	10	5	3	4.58	0.69	74.5 b
16	136	38	12	3	3	4.35	0.74	80.01 b
17	137	42	8	3	2	4.36	0.73	59.4 b
18	132	47	7	3	3	4.58	0.58	69.7 b
19	126	52	9	2	3	4.26	0.64	66.1 b
20	131	41	11	5	4	4.57	0.47	48.8 b
21	129	45	9	4	5	4.69	0.84	81.0 b
22	134	46	5	3	4	4.58	0.77	70.3 b
Total %	2884 68.3	998 23.6	201 4.8	79 1.9	62 1.5	4.35	16.49

The previous results show the adolescents’ use of social media with regards to their attitudes to the questionnaire statements; (68.3%) fully agree, (23.6%) agree, (4.8%) do not know, (1.9%) do not agree, and finally (1.5%) do not entirely agree. The arithmetic mean of all statements is (4.35), with a standard deviation of less than one, indicating the homogeneity of the participants’ responses to the questionnaire statements. The chi-square is less than (0.05) for all comments, referring to the respondents’ agreement on the questionnaire statements.

Q 2: What is the impact of adolescents’ use of social media on the quality of their digital life? Table 4 refers to the findings as follows: -

Table 4. shows the impact of using social media on the respondents’ digital life quality.

The standard	R	R2	F	Sig*	D.F.	β		T	Sig
Social media	0.55	0.30	68.5	0.00	1	The stable	2.1	8.5	0.01
					250	Digital life quality	0.78	10.1	0.01

The regression results show a statistically significant effect of using social media on the quality of digital life; the correlation coefficient R is (0.55), at the significance level (0.05 ≥ α), and R2 is (0.30). Thus, (0.30) of changes in the quality of digital life scores resulted from the change in using social media scores. Furthermore, the regression coefficient β is (0.78), showing that the increase by one degree in using new media leads to an increase in the quality of digital life with a value of (0.78). In addition, the F value is (68.5), at the significance level (0.05 ≥ α), implying a statistically significant effect of using social media on the quality of adolescents’ digital life.

Q3: What is the effect of the adolescents’ demographic variables (gender – age – specialization – favourite means of communication) on their use of social media? Tables 5 and 6 refer to the findings of the third question as follows:

Table 5. shows the test of differences between respondents in their use of social media by gender.

	The variable		N	A.M.	S.D.	T	D.F.	The significance
The use of social media	Gender	Male	89	4.01	1.02	−1.24	388	0.078
		Female	103	4.31	0.87

Table 6. shows the ANOVA test of differences between respondents in their use of social media by age, specialization, and favourite means of communication.

	The variable		N	A.M.	S.D.	F	F.D.		The significance
The use of social media		females	103	4.31	0.87	361	Between groups	Within groups
	Age	13	35	4.01	0.68		2	387	0.87
		14	48	4.12	0.87
		15	52	3.98	0.74
		16	57	4.51	0.62
	Specialization	Scientific	97	4.62	0.79	17.42	2	378	0.001
		humanitarian	59	4.09	0.80
		Unspecified	36	4.19	0.51
	Favorite means of communication	Facebook	71	4.50	0.60	12.93	3	386	0.001
		Instagram	29	4.26	0.85
		Tik Tok	65	4.39	0.97
		Twitter	15	3.88	1.06
		Telegram	12	3.79	1.21

No significant differences exist between males and females using social media; T = (−1.24) is a non-statistically considerable value at the significance level of (0.078).

No statistically significant differences exist between the age groups using new media; F = (361), a non-statistically considerable value at the significance level of (0.87). However, there are statistically significant differences between the respondents by their specialization; p = (17.42), a statistically significant value at the significance level of (0.001). The result is in favour of those who have a scientific specialization, and they score the highest arithmetic mean (4.62). Also, there are statistically significant differences between the respondents by their favourite means of communication; F = (12.93), a statistically significant value at the significance level of (0.001). The differences are in favour of Facebook by an arithmetic mean of (4.50), then TikTok (4.39), followed by Instagram (4.26), then X (Twitter) (3.88), and finally Telegram (3.79).

Discussions

This study examines the extent of adolescents’ use of social media. Adolescents seem to spend much time using new media, particularly social networking sites, intelligent applications, and electronic blogs. This way, adolescents have their own media tools to create content, take photographs and videos via mobile phones, and distribute them worldwide. This is consistent with previous research on using social media (e.g. O’Neill, 2023; Jiang, 2022; Sharma & Gupta, 2021; Tran et al., 2020).

In addition to examining the adolescents’ use of new media, Gui et al. (2017) explored the role of new media in achieving the quality of their digital life. They found that their life quality is closely linked to their digital life. Therefore, they depend on new media in their affairs (Pénard et al., 2013). confirmed the emergence of the quality of digital life due to the widespread use of mobile devices and social networks.

During the COVID-19 crisis, the need has arisen to support digital life among users in general and adolescents in particular. Digital life has been the perfect solution to work and study. So, we should concern with the quality of digital life to ensure it, as noted by (Burr et al., 2020).

(Bratu, 2020) states that it should be noted that COVID-19 has had benefits in spreading new digital technology on the personal and social levels and has affected the quality of digital life, subjective well-being, and functional skills for all age groups, especially young people, through various social media platforms(Horak et al., 2020). It also enhanced the quality of digital life for teenagers, who relied a lot on modern digital technology during the pandemic period and beyond (Lăzăroiu & Adams, 2020).

Regarding the study findings, the largest share of respondents in the study surveys refers to their own experience, and their practical experience among friends is that digital living improves many dimensions of their work, play, and home life. Furthermore, they pointed to profound changes for the better as the Internet revolutionized everything from the most immediate intellectual and emotional experiences to some of the most common and everyday aspects of existence.

Digital media has dramatically impacted adolescents’ daily lives in how they communicate, collaborate, and work. Increasing the use of such platforms brought various effects, most of which proved beneficial to society. It has enabled unprecedented levels of connection, community building, and social interaction, breaking down the barriers of location, time, and social context for adolescents. However, it would not be wise to continue talking about the positive aspects of digital media without touching on the negatives. Research shows that when adolescents use digital media excessively, it can negatively affect their behavioural and cognitive development and physical and mental health. As a society, Although digital media has connected us across borders, much attention has to be paid to its nature and content.

Recommendations

The results of this study recommend highlighting the following:

• Future research needs to explore further the relationship between using new media and adolescents’ mental health.

• The importance of supporting individuals’ digital lives by setting the standards that regulate digital content to optimize social media use.

• Promoting social media targeting adolescents and encouraging them to participate in creating meaningful content is crucial.

• We should keep pace with technological progress and digital technology development.

• We should observe our adolescents’ and youth’s behaviours towards using modern applications.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).