Hooked Online: Unmasking the Risks of Internet Addiction Among Gen Z Youths

The widespread integration of digital technology has intensified internet use among Generation Z, raising growing concerns about internet addiction and its associated risks. In Malaysia, adolescents and young adults represent one of the most active online populations, making them particularly vulnerable to psychological, behavioral, and social consequences. This study aims to examine the relationship between internet addiction and multiple risk dimensions, including mental health risk, pornography exposure, cyberbullying risk, and other internet-related risks among Malaysian youths under the age of 25. A quantitative research design was employed using an online self-administered questionnaire distributed through social media platforms. Data were collected from 150 respondents and analyzed using regression analysis. The results indicate that internet addiction significantly predicts mental health risk (β = 0.884, p < 0.001; R² = 0.781), pornography risk (β = 0.815, p < 0.01; R² = 0.664), cyberbullying risk (β = 0.157, p < 0.05; R² = 0.250), and other online-related risks such as academic and social difficulties (β = 0.815, p < 0.01). All proposed hypotheses were supported. These findings demonstrate that internet addiction is closely associated with a wide range of adverse outcomes among Malaysian youths, highlighting the importance of targeted prevention efforts, digital literacy education, and early mental health interventions