TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's youth are facing a mental health crisis fueled by technology addiction, according to the Action Alliance on Basic Education (國教行動聯盟), which identified smartphones and other digital devices as primary culprits behind escalating emotional disorders among adolescents. In a statement issued Monday (March 17), the advocacy group called for schools to implement robust digital literacy programs that would help students distinguish between educational technology use and recreational screen time that can lead to dependency and psychological harm.
The Ministry of Education (MOE, 教育部) has responded to these concerns with a comprehensive five-year initiative focused on "social-emotional learning" (社會情緒學習), recognizing the double-edged nature of digital technology in education. While acknowledging technology's benefits, ministry officials expressed growing alarm about its detrimental effects on student concentration and psychological wellbeing. The scope of the problem is reflected in troubling government statistics from the Executive Yuan (行政院), which reveal a dramatic 41% surge in diagnosed emotional and behavioral disorders among Taiwanese students — jumping from 7,944 cases in 2019 to 11,209 by 2023.
To address this growing crisis, the education alliance has proposed legislative amendments to either the "Primary and Junior High School Act" (國民教育法) or the "Senior High School Education Act" (高級中等教育法), which would establish legal frameworks for regulating digital devices in educational settings. Their proposal extends beyond school grounds with the recommendation of a structured "family digital usage agreement" (家庭數位使用約定書) program, designed to foster healthier technology habits through collaborative efforts between families and educators. This approach aims to create consistent boundaries for young people navigating digital environments both at home and school.
The advocacy group further called for government partnerships with technology companies, including internet platforms, social media networks, and telecommunications providers, to gather more comprehensive data on adolescent digital behavior patterns. Such collaborations would inform the development of more effective content monitoring systems and age-appropriate safeguards. The alliance emphasized the importance of equity in digital policy implementation, cautioning against uniform approaches that might disadvantage vulnerable populations. Their recommendations specifically highlight the need for tailored strategies that address the unique circumstances of economically disadvantaged students and those with special educational requirements.
