Mental health, cognitive decline… Screens could cost France up to 2.3 points of GDP by 2060

The term refers to the model of social networks and certain digital platforms , designed to maximize the time spent online by their users, and therefore the profits from advertising and data collection. "Overexposure to screens and the use of social media can be associated with a deterioration in the quality of sleep and a higher prevalence of psychological disorders" - depression, anxiety, chronic stress - with already observable economic impacts, the study recalls.

They come from "a 'direct' effect linked to digital solicitation - generation of stress hormones - and the functionalities of certain tools, such as social comparisons on social networks," summarizes the study by Solal Chardon-Boucaud. According to INSEE, 57% of those under 20 say they feel at least one of the harmful effects of screens (reduced sleep time, etc.). This impact on mental health, added to the loss of productive time linked to digital uses (frequent interruptions, slowed execution, etc.), is already costing "0.6 points of GDP" today, the economist estimates.

This could increase to 2.3 GDP points per year by reducing French productivity by 2060: children currently overexposed to screens - the 30% of 12-17 year-olds who spend more than 35 hours a week in front of a screen, according to Crédoc - will then enter the job market. Many studies already show that "high exposure to screens from a very young age, and in particular the use of social networks and smartphones, has a particularly strong impact on attention spans, memorization, and language skills," the expert points out.