The aim of this research is to examine the relationships between university students' problematic use of social media, apathy, and social networking addiction behaviors. It focuses on how perceived behavioral control act as moderators in the relationships. This research contributes to our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying problem social media behaviors, and this is vital with the increasing alarm over the ill effects of excessive social media consumption on students' well-being. A questionnaire was utilized that was specifically designed in format to gather data from 234 university students in the context of a quantitative study. Apathy, problematic social media use, perceived control of behavior, and addiction behavior in social networking were all included in the questionnaire adapted from existing research. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized in the data analysis process using ADANCO software to measure the relationship between variables and test hypotheses. The findings indicate that social networking addiction behaviors are the primary predictor of social media problematic use, and apathy mediates the relationship. Additionally, the strength of the relationship is moderated by perceived behavioral control, and greater perceived control diminishes the effect of addiction on social media problematic use. All hypotheses were supported. This study extends current understanding of social media addiction by incorporating emotional disengagement (apathy) and self-regulation (perceived behavioral control). The findings highlight important psychological factors to target in interventions aimed at reducing problematic social media use, particularly for university students.