MP warns we could be heading for a health crisis

developer for Mozilla, has described the way in which apps and interfaces are made as if the tech companies are ‘taking behavioural cocaine and just sprinkling it all over your interface’.”

There is growing evidence that the overuse of technology can lead to lower life satisfaction, with research reported by Yougov showing that British young people and adults ‘can barely make it through dinner without looking at their phones’.

In Scotland, research by the Mental Health Foundation has shown that 30 per cent of young people say social media is driving them to feel socially isolated.

A Scottish Government survey also showed that three out of four of the most common leisure activities among Scottish teenagers were associated with using technology.

Mr Killen continued: “The impact on mental health for all of us is becoming clearer, with new studies emerging at increasing pace showing a link between technology overuse and poorer mental health.

“Large-scale studies in the US have shown that adolescents who spend more time on new media, including social media and electronic devices such as smartphones, are more likely to report mental health issues than those who spend less time on such platforms.

“It took decades for it to emerge that smoking was an addictive habit detrimental to our health. Of course, smoking and modern technology are not directly comparable, but technology is both an opportunity and a risk, and we must ensure we get more of the former and less of the latter.”

. . . and a risk