After identifying the mechanisms of “invisible toxicity” through digital ethnography, the APRIL Foundation sought to gauge its extent.
To this end, Ifop conducted a survey of 2,000 young people aged 15 to 24 living in metropolitan France. This survey explores their use of social media, their exposure to certain content related to the body, health, or performance, their behaviors, and their expectations regarding prevention.
The results show that social media content is not limited to informing or entertaining: it also helps shape norms, influences self-perceptions, and can lead to changes in certain health behaviors.
SIX KEY STATISTICS
- 83% of 15- to 24-year-olds have been exposed to at least one piece of content that poses a health risk in the past twelve months.
- 77% have already changed a behavior after seeing such content, and nearly 7 in 10 did so without consulting a healthcare professional.
- 53% believed they had a health condition after seeing such content; only 41% sought medical advice.
- 50% believe that social media has a negative effect on the self-confidence of young people their age.
- 1 in 4 has purchased a health-related product or content after watching an influencer’s video.
- 73% support a “Toxi-Score,” a risk indicator for content shared on social media.
Find the report and the full results on the website of:
