Problematic usage of the internet: A policy map of the use of internet and its possible mental health consequences in adolescents across United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand

© 2026 The Author(s)This work analyses policies related to the Problematic Usage of the Internet (PUI) and its relationships to adolescent mental health across the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. Using a policy path dependency framework,...

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Authors: Snegg J.; Larrain B.; Mosler K.; van Kessel R.; Achab S.; Corazza O.; Penazzi G.; Stein D.J.; Ekhtari H.; Bowden-Jones H.; Ioannidis K.; Barbati V.; Demetrovics Z.; Chamberlain S.R.; Carmi L.; Zohar J.; Rumpf H.J.; Hall N.; Menchon J.M.; Sales C.; Montag C.; Lindenberg K.; Susi M.; Huizink A.; Potenza M.N.; Pallanti S.; Morgan N.; Moreno C.; Purper-Ouakil D.; Brand M.; Yucel M.; Czako A.; Walitza S.; Burkauskas J.; Felvinczi K.; Smith M.; Wellsted D.; Jones J.; Dias T.S.; Foster S.; Mohler-Kuo M.; Neumann I.; Fongaro E.; Fally S.; Oliveira H.; Abregu-Crespo R.; Sepulveda-Palomo M.; Fineberg N.A.; Roman-Urrestarazu A.
Format: Article
Status:Published version
Publication date:2026
Country:Chile
Institution:Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Repository:Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.uc.cl:11534/111483
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2026.152675
https://repositorio.uc.cl/handle/11534/111483
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Adolescents
Mental health
Problematic usage of internet
Public policy
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author Snegg J.
author2 Larrain B.
Mosler K.
van Kessel R.
Achab S.
Corazza O.
Penazzi G.
Stein D.J.
Ekhtari H.
Bowden-Jones H.
Ioannidis K.
Barbati V.
Demetrovics Z.
Chamberlain S.R.
Carmi L.
Zohar J.
Rumpf H.J.
Hall N.
Menchon J.M.
Sales C.
Montag C.
Lindenberg K.
Susi M.
Huizink A.
Potenza M.N.
Pallanti S.
Morgan N.
Moreno C.
Purper-Ouakil D.
Brand M.
Yucel M.
Czako A.
Walitza S.
Burkauskas J.
Felvinczi K.
Smith M.
Wellsted D.
Jones J.
Dias T.S.
Foster S.
Mohler-Kuo M.
Neumann I.
Fongaro E.
Fally S.
Oliveira H.
Abregu-Crespo R.
Sepulveda-Palomo M.
Fineberg N.A.
Roman-Urrestarazu A.
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author_browse Abregu-Crespo R.
Achab S.
Barbati V.
Bowden-Jones H.
Brand M.
Burkauskas J.
Carmi L.
Chamberlain S.R.
Corazza O.
Czako A.
Demetrovics Z.
Dias T.S.
Ekhtari H.
Fally S.
Felvinczi K.
Fineberg N.A.
Fongaro E.
Foster S.
Hall N.
Huizink A.
Ioannidis K.
Jones J.
Larrain B.
Lindenberg K.
Menchon J.M.
Mohler-Kuo M.
Montag C.
Moreno C.
Morgan N.
Mosler K.
Neumann I.
Oliveira H.
Pallanti S.
Penazzi G.
Potenza M.N.
Purper-Ouakil D.
Roman-Urrestarazu A.
Rumpf H.J.
Sales C.
Sepulveda-Palomo M.
Smith M.
Snegg J.
Stein D.J.
Susi M.
Walitza S.
Wellsted D.
Yucel M.
Zohar J.
van Kessel R.
author_facet Snegg J.
Larrain B.
Mosler K.
van Kessel R.
Achab S.
Corazza O.
Penazzi G.
Stein D.J.
Ekhtari H.
Bowden-Jones H.
Ioannidis K.
Barbati V.
Demetrovics Z.
Chamberlain S.R.
Carmi L.
Zohar J.
Rumpf H.J.
Hall N.
Menchon J.M.
Sales C.
Montag C.
Lindenberg K.
Susi M.
Huizink A.
Potenza M.N.
Pallanti S.
Morgan N.
Moreno C.
Purper-Ouakil D.
Brand M.
Yucel M.
Czako A.
Walitza S.
Burkauskas J.
Felvinczi K.
Smith M.
Wellsted D.
Jones J.
Dias T.S.
Foster S.
Mohler-Kuo M.
Neumann I.
Fongaro E.
Fally S.
Oliveira H.
Abregu-Crespo R.
Sepulveda-Palomo M.
Fineberg N.A.
Roman-Urrestarazu A.
author_role author
collection Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
description © 2026 The Author(s)This work analyses policies related to the Problematic Usage of the Internet (PUI) and its relationships to adolescent mental health across the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. Using a policy path dependency framework, national legislation was examined to assess relationships with PUI. The study maps policy by reviewing governmental legislation and databases, analysing them on macro (societal), meso (market/intermediary organisations), and micro (citizen rights, duties, and protection) levels. It explores legal instruments related to PUI, including data protection, cybersecurity, content regulation, and harassment, offering both historical and comparative analyses across the eight countries. Findings indicate that while several countries have policies indirectly regulating PUI, significant legislative gaps persist relating to adolescent mental health. Most policies address broader internet concerns without specifically targeting PUI or its effects on mental health. Overall, the analysis highlights the need for more targeted public health policies to address the root causes of PUI, advocating for tailored interventions focused on adolescent well-being.
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identifier_str_mv 10.1016/j.comppsych.2026.152675
institution Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
instname_str Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
network_acronym_str CL
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oai_identifier_str oai:repositorio.uc.cl:11534/111483
publishDate 2026
publishDateSort 2026
reponame_str Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
spelling Problematic usage of the internet: A policy map of the use of internet and its possible mental health consequences in adolescents across United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand Snegg J. Larrain B. Mosler K. van Kessel R. Achab S. Corazza O. Penazzi G. Stein D.J. Ekhtari H. Bowden-Jones H. Ioannidis K. Barbati V. Demetrovics Z. Chamberlain S.R. Carmi L. Zohar J. Rumpf H.J. Hall N. Menchon J.M. Sales C. Montag C. Lindenberg K. Susi M. Huizink A. Potenza M.N. Pallanti S. Morgan N. Moreno C. Purper-Ouakil D. Brand M. Yucel M. Czako A. Walitza S. Burkauskas J. Felvinczi K. Smith M. Wellsted D. Jones J. Dias T.S. Foster S. Mohler-Kuo M. Neumann I. Fongaro E. Fally S. Oliveira H. Abregu-Crespo R. Sepulveda-Palomo M. Fineberg N.A. Roman-Urrestarazu A. Adolescents Mental health Problematic usage of internet Public policy © 2026 The Author(s)This work analyses policies related to the Problematic Usage of the Internet (PUI) and its relationships to adolescent mental health across the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand. Using a policy path dependency framework, national legislation was examined to assess relationships with PUI. The study maps policy by reviewing governmental legislation and databases, analysing them on macro (societal), meso (market/intermediary organisations), and micro (citizen rights, duties, and protection) levels. It explores legal instruments related to PUI, including data protection, cybersecurity, content regulation, and harassment, offering both historical and comparative analyses across the eight countries. Findings indicate that while several countries have policies indirectly regulating PUI, significant legislative gaps persist relating to adolescent mental health. Most policies address broader internet concerns without specifically targeting PUI or its effects on mental health. Overall, the analysis highlights the need for more targeted public health policies to address the root causes of PUI, advocating for tailored interventions focused on adolescent well-being. 10.1016/j.comppsych.2026.152675 15328384 0010440X SCOPUS_ID:105037149512 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2026.152675 https://repositorio.uc.cl/handle/11534/111483
spellingShingle Problematic usage of the internet: A policy map of the use of internet and its possible mental health consequences in adolescents across United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand
Snegg J.
Adolescents
Mental health
Problematic usage of internet
Public policy
status_str publishedVersion
title Problematic usage of the internet: A policy map of the use of internet and its possible mental health consequences in adolescents across United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand
title_full Problematic usage of the internet: A policy map of the use of internet and its possible mental health consequences in adolescents across United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand
title_fullStr Problematic usage of the internet: A policy map of the use of internet and its possible mental health consequences in adolescents across United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand
title_full_unstemmed Problematic usage of the internet: A policy map of the use of internet and its possible mental health consequences in adolescents across United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand
title_short Problematic usage of the internet: A policy map of the use of internet and its possible mental health consequences in adolescents across United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand
title_sort Problematic usage of the internet: A policy map of the use of internet and its possible mental health consequences in adolescents across United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand
topic Adolescents
Mental health
Problematic usage of internet
Public policy
topic_facet Adolescents
Mental health
Problematic usage of internet
Public policy
url https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2026.152675
https://repositorio.uc.cl/handle/11534/111483