Digital hygiene as a new kind of health-promoting behavior

As Magdalena Bigaj, president of the Institute for Digital Citizenship Foundation, who chaired the expert panel, pointed out, for the first two decades of the 21st century, and even a little longer, a decidedly positive tone dominated discussions on digital technologies. In recent years, however, we have seen a major correction, with more countries - Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, France - either already introducing or preparing to introduce regulations raising the age of social media use. - This is not because something extraordinary has happened. An accumulation of certain phenomena has been observed," she stressed. The impact of social media on the functioning of society and individuals, people of all ages, was becoming increasingly apparent. Although more countries want to protect children, the expert said, digital hygiene "has no metric." - Children are like "canaries in a cage." After them, we see the negative impact of technology and digital services," she said, referring to the practice once used by miners of taking caged canaries to the mines. Even before the human body had time to feel the impact of methane, miners saw it kill the birds - and they had a chance to escape.

Meanwhile, the latest "Internet Kids" report shows that there are grounds for concern - to put it very mildly. 58 percent of children in the 7-12 age group (and therefore below the age limit, set at 13) use social media. - This is a sign that we have an unaware society, parents. Or aware, but ignoring the dangers," the expert admitted. We know from another report ("Teens Facing Digital Pornography") that more than half (!) of children in the 7-14 age group use pornographic material, mostly on mobile devices. There are also data indicating that four out of ten elementary school students have been exposed to suicidal and self-harming content online and 45 percent of teens, after a suicide attempt, admit that they were shown materials on SM that encouraged them to take their own lives - even though they weren't looking for them. As Magdalena Bigaj stressed, parents approve of their children's use of digital platforms, although these are the places where sexual abuse of minors is most common, and companies do not feel socially responsible.

- Modern technologies have changed our lives and bring many benefits, but they are also associated with numerous risks and challenges for education and public health, emphasized Magdalena Woynarowska, MD, PhD, Faculty of Health Sciences, WUM. According to the expert, everyone at this time needs self-reflection on how they use digital technologies, whether and to what extent they use digital hygiene. - What is digital hygiene? It's consciously engaging in health-protective behaviors related to the use of digital tools, screen devices and the Internet, she explained, emphasizing that hygiene is about behaviors, not knowledge or beliefs. - What we do is important for health.

An important element of this definition, she stressed, is a positive approach - it focuses on desirable behavior, not mistakes. At the same time, everyone can check for themselves to what extent they are making good choices: thanks to the cooperation of many experts and the involvement of Internet users, it was possible to develop an online test (hygienacyfrowa.pl), which - in four areas - groups 33 health-promoting behaviors, from such obvious ones as controlling the time spent with screen devices, new technologies, putting the phone out of sight while studying or working, sharing data safely, publishing photos thoughtfully, being selective and critical about content to taking care of sleep or disinfecting the phone daily, at least once a day. - Digital hygiene is a way of taking care of ourselves in an increasingly digital world, she concluded.

Professor Mariusz Panczyk, Faculty of Health Sciences, WUM, encouraged people to fill out the test. - It is possible to self-diagnose, although it is not a diagnosis, of course," he admitted, stressing that completing the test has primarily an educational value. - It carries with it the stimulation of reflection, and can be the beginning of change, he said. This year saw the publication of the "Digital Hygiene of Adults" report, which, the expert stressed, also provides food for thought. The term "digital hygiene" itself is understandable, or in any case recognizable to half of the respondents (a representative sample, so one can assume for half of the country's adult population). - One may wonder whether it is "only" or "as much as". Rather, it's "as much as," assessed Prof. Panczyk. More than half of adults admit that they abuse screen devices, almost as many say they are ready to change. - You can see the reflection after completing the test, now you need to translate it into action," he noted, explaining that without changing the behavior of adults, trying to influence the behavior of the youngest will not be effective. - We need to be authentic.

When it comes to positive behavior in the digital area, the best performer is adherence to safe device use while driving. - Two-thirds of adult Poles say they do not use their phone. This is a lot, but still not enough, especially since vehicles are not only cars, but also bicycles or scooters. The least indications, less than 13 percent, are for disinfecting phones on a daily basis. We don't have this habit, despite the fact that this is a behavior closely related to the very concept of hygiene," the expert said, adding that the problem could be the lack of habit on the one hand, and the difficult availability of disinfecting wipes on the other.

Dr. Hanna Nałęcz, Academy of Physical Education in Warsaw, admitted that the digital hygiene situation is complicated. - Adult education and behavior change by adults are very important, but we have to resuscitate the canary! - she explained figuratively. Because, she stressed, there is a growing body of research that confirms the ruinous impact of children and adolescents' use of screen devices and new technologies, on their health - including somatic health - and development. Screen devices are a "primary disruptor" of the diurnal rhythm, especially in the dimension of physical activity, but also sleep - that is, two out of three states in the human diurnal rhythm. Less sleep, less movement - more sitting while using different devices, because multiscreening is an increasing challenge, especially young people often use two or even more devices (laptop, phone - and in two functions, such as browsing social media and talking at the same time). The expert advised that anyone wondering if they are addicted to a smartphone should ask themselves the first question on the nicotine addiction test: - How soon after waking up do you reach for your first cigarette?

An obvious consequence of the use and abuse of screen devices is the deterioration of eyesight, which - as a population threat - was noted in the pandemic when, through remote lessons, children and adolescents multiplied the time they spent in front of screens. The pandemic has passed, but the dangers remain. As the expert pointed out, young people use new technologies in four basic dimensions: social media, communication, information search and games. - Half of the gamers spend five or more hours a day on this activity, she stressed. Boys dominate among gamers, while girls are more likely to use social media and instant messaging.

Other effects of screen device abuse? Sleep disturbances, disruption of the body's quieting procedure, and disruption of the biological clock entail changes in the hormonal economy, with cortisol and melatonin levels going crazy, taking a toll on the mental and physical health of young people.

Dr. Aleksandra Lewandowska, national consultant in child and adolescent psychiatry, recalled that the mental health of children and adolescents in the context of digital technology use was one of the priorities of the Polish EU presidency. - A growing body of research confirms the close link between the length of time spent using digital technologies, especially social media, and the mental well-being of young people, she said. Particularly vulnerable groups are girls aged 11-13 and boys aged 14-15. Digital technology use negatively affects areas of the brain that are forming at this age (some up to age 25), this includes working memory, ability to regulate emotions, ability to control impulses, ability to maintain attention and concentration). - Even using digital devices more than two hours a day has a negative impact. The more hours "above," the noticeably greater this impact," she said.

The study and meta-analyses also show that with every hour that teens use social media, the risk of mental disorders, mainly depressive, anxiety, eating, also suicidal behavior, increases. - It's also a negative impact on physical health, the risk of overweight and obesity increases, while they increase the risk of mental discomfort appearing or worsening.

Dr. Lewandowska also stressed that patients themselves who go to specialists admit very often to abusing the devices. - We hear: "I know I spend too much time online, but all my friends function this way". What's more, young people say it's the same at home, that their parents also behave this way. They believe that if there were more interesting activities, ways to spend time in an interesting way, it would be easier to limit the time rushed digitally.

The fact that there are other threats to public health lurking on the Internet was pointed out by Wojciech Feleszko, MD, Department of Pediatric Pneumonology and Allergology at WUM, reminding of the plague of celebrities promoting anti-health content, including products, but also of the whole disinformation campaign controlled by hostile foreign intelligence centers, targeting, for example, immunizations. - This is no conspiracy theory, there are scientific studies on the matter," he reminded. The expert called for greater effectiveness in combating anti-health propaganda. - At the moment we are giving the field away by walkover," he said. He also called for refining ways of communicating on issues related to spreading knowledge on digital hygiene to make them more attractive especially to young digital users.

Julia Piechna, head of the Social Projects and International Cooperation Team at NASK - PIB, pointed out that NASK has been working for two decades to improve the safety of children and young people online. - We educate children, young people, the whole environment around them. But awareness is not enough. A child may know what cyberbullying is, but if there is no empathy, knowledge alone is not enough," she pointed out. The expert stressed that it is necessary - as part of health education - also psychosocial education to equip children and adolescents with competencies without which they will not cope in the complex cyber world. - They won't do it on their own, they can't control their impulses, control their emotions," she referred to Dr. Lewandowska's statement.

Julia Piechna stressed that it is important to make young people aware that they are not only viewers, but also co-creators of digital content, because every comment, reaction, material, posted in cyberspace, already remains in it. - Every action has consequences. Lack of action too, if, for example, we witness cyberbullying and do not react," she reminded.

The expert admitted that not only specialists - at school - but especially parents, at home, should talk to children about these issues. Because it is a matter of upbringing, working on regulating emotions, building self-awareness. However, such conversations are lacking in most families. - Parents don't talk to their children about the technologies they make available to them much too early," she assessed, citing examples of two-year-old and even one-year-old children who are in contact with screen devices.

Young people don't know how to set boundaries online, how to defend privacy, and they have no idea that their online activity can have legal consequences, such as cyberbullying. - We lack accessible, safe, attentive parents who are interested in technology," she said. This is not about being interested in the "news", but in the world in which children and young people function. For those who want to introduce their child to this world in a safe way, experts have prepared a guide called "On the Web Challenges." With it, a parent can learn how to accompany a child, including so that he or she does not feel lonely. - Young people are lonely. One in five teenagers declare that they do not have a single friend," she stressed.