Skip to content

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

Chimera readability score 61 out of 100, Academic reading level.

Active users score higher on loneliness scale but perceive lower isolation, prompting calls for updated health guidelines
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.

Sentinel — Human

Confidence

The text reads like a straightforward summary of survey results, likely generated by human journalists reporting on the findings of an official poll.

Signals Detected
low severity: Moderate sentence length variance and straightforward factual reporting.
low severity: Direct presentation of statistical findings without heavy hedging or excessive 'balanced' phrasing.
low severity: Clear flow from the main finding to the methodology and specific data points.
low severity: The structure mimics standard journalistic reporting of a survey result, with clear attribution (HKCS poll).
Human Indicators
Specific detail about the polling period (September to December last year) and specific demographic breakdown suggests primary source reporting.
The tone is purely informational, adhering strictly to statistical presentation.