More women will quit ‘toxic’ social media than men

WOMEN make up the majority of the 300,000 people planning to quit “toxic” social media during “scroll-free September”, the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has announced.

The organisation, which has created the Nhs-backed campaign, said that three times more women than men were set to take part because social media leaves women feeling inadequate and with low self-esteem from being bombarded with perfect body images on platforms like Instagram.

Other experts blamed the trolling of women on networks such as Twitter for the disproportionate desire for them to give social media a break.

At least 300,000 Britons are expected to take part in scroll-free September which invites people to give up or cut back usage of sites including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Of those who said they would take part, three quarters are women.

Ed Morrow, an RSPH spokesman, said: “Social media platforms like Instagram can be a particularly toxic environment for young women who are often left with feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem from the barrage of images of unattainable body image ideals.”

According to an RSPH poll, almost two thirds (63 per cent) of 18-24 year olds believe quitting for a month would have a positive impact on them.

The Daily Telegraph is campaigning for a statutory duty of care, calling on social media and gaming firms to better protect children from online harms.