July-August. 2025 | The HEALTH

FOCUS

• Short-form video addiction is becoming increasingly common among Malaysian youth and children, driven by attention-grabbing algorithms and prolonged exposure to engaging content.

• Excessive screen time is linked to developmental delays, reduced motor skills, and behavioural issues in young children, often mistaken for neurodevelopmental disorders.

• Tackling the issue requires joint efforts from families, educators, and policymakers to reduce screen dependence and promote physical activity and hands-on learning.

little room for kinesthetic or exploratory learning. In many preschools, free play is restricted to just 20 minutes a day- hardly enough to develop essential movement, creativity, or emotional regulation.

Scientific evidence supports the growing concern. Studies from 2022 revealed that social and lifestyle factors explained more than 60 per cent of addiction levels to short-form videos.

Alarmingly, even medical students- presumably more aware of health risks- showed excessive smartphone use linked to anxiety and a lower quality of life. In 2023, over one-third of surveyed youth aged 16 to 30 reported spending more than eight hours a day on screen time.

Globally, this is a shared crisis. In 2024, a U. S. survey found that 70 per cent of teens and young adults, and more than half of adults aged 30 to 49, showed signs of social media addiction.

The average daily time spent on shortform platforms hovered around one hour and 40 minutes, time often taken from physical activity, sleep, reading, or simply being outdoors.

BY SHEILA ROZARIO

These platforms are built not for pause or reflection, but for endless engagement. Their design exploits the brain’ s reward system, offering instant gratification that drives compulsive scrolling. What started as entertainment has become dependency.

This increasing reliance on short, attention-grabbing videos- known as short video addiction( SVA)- is no longer limited to teenagers or adults. More Malaysian children, some still in pre-school, are spending large parts of their early years in front of screens.

The repercussions are substantial and potentially more worrying because they are frequently regarded as normal.

What makes these platforms so effective is their ability to anticipate and amplify content that grabs attention. Sensationalism, drama, or emotionally provocative material tends to rise to the top. The more time users spend watching, the more the algorithm feeds them similar content, creating an echo chamber of stimulation and passivity.

SCREEN SPELL: Two young girls engrossed in their mobile

In Malaysia, this model has proved remarkably successful. By mid-2024, downloads of platforms such as TikTok had exceeded 81 million, a 6.6 per cent increase from the previous year. Nearly 85 per cent of adults with internet access now use the platform regularly.

CULTURAL SHIFT

These figures represent more than just popularity; they signal a cultural shift in how people allocate their time, where their attention is directed, and increasingly, how their children are raised.

One of the most worrying trends is the impact on children under seven. Devices have become digital babysitters. Reports show that many young children now struggle with basic tasks like writing or colouring, while spending hours motionless in front of screens.

Their physical development- especially coordination, muscle strength, and gross motor skills- deteriorates. In some cases, children even display behaviours that resemble autism spectrum traits. Often, these are not caused by neurological conditions but are due to excessive screen time and limited real-world interaction.

The Malaysian education system, in its current form, may unintentionally reinforce the problem. Large class sizes and minimal structured physical play leave

SCREEN DOMINATION

Such trends raise questions far beyond health. A childhood dominated by screens also risks eroding our connection to the environment. When play is digitised and attention commodified, the outdoors becomes irrelevant.

Exploration is replaced with curated content, and children grow up distant from nature, unaware of its rhythms or fragility. A generation raised indoors may not only suffer physically and emotionally but may also lack the empathy and awareness required to care for the planet.

The solutions, while challenging, are not out of reach. At home, parents and guardians can begin by examining their digital habits and setting consistent boundaries.

Reducing screen time requires more than rules- it demands alternatives. Outdoor play, creative activities, reading, and hands-on experiences can reignite curiosity and help children reconnect with the world beyond the screen.

In schools, a radical rebalancing is needed. While digital literacy is undeniably important, it must be taught alongside experiential, movement-based learning. Curricula should be restructured to allow more time for active, sensory-rich experiences that build resilience, attention, and imagination.

Addressing SVA is about more than safeguarding children’ s health- it’ s about protecting their potential. It’ s about raising individuals who are not just consumers of content but creators of change; not just users of technology but stewards of the Earth.

If this issue is ignored, short-form video addiction may quietly become one of the most pressing environmental and public health challenges of our time. However, with awareness, empathy, and action, it can be an opportunity to reclaim balance for our children, our society, and our shared future.- The HEALTH