{"source":{"name":"Evidence Hub on Social Media Ban for Kids - A project by the Lisbon Council","url":"https:\/\/socialmediaban.lisboncouncil.net","license":"Creative Common CC-BY 4.0 International"},"data":[{"data":[70,65,63,62,55],"name":"Adolescents"},{"data":[64,33,41,35,"NA"],"name":"Parents"}],"_data":[["\ufeffCategory","Adolescents","Parents"],["Helps [me\/my child] feel connected to others",70,64],["[I learn \/ My child learns] a lot on social media",65,33],["Improves mood \/ Seems in a better mood",63,41],["Helps [me\/my child] express [myself\/themselves]",62,35],["Helps me feel more confident",55,"NA"]],"labels":{"name":"\ufeffCategory","values":["Helps [me\/my child] feel connected to others","[I learn \/ My child learns] a lot on social media","Improves mood \/ Seems in a better mood","Helps [me\/my child] express [myself\/themselves]","Helps me feel more confident"]},"metadata":{"link":"https:\/\/europa.eu\/eurobarometer\/surveys\/detail\/3686","type":"","unit":"Percent (%)","year":"2026","title":"Positive Perceptions of Social Media (Youth' and Parents' perceptions)","topic":"Harms and Wellbeing","method":"survey (26297 adolescents and 12750 parents)","source":"Eurostat, Flash Eurobarometer, Impact of excessive screen time and social media on young people\u2019s mental health, April 2026lth, April 2026","sub_topic":"","chart_number":"103.0","geographical":"European Union"},"description":"This chart from the 2026 Flash Eurobarometer 'Impact of excessive screen time and social media on young people\u2019s mental health' highlights a notable 'utility gap' in the perceptions of European adolescents and parents regarding the benefits of social media. While there is a relative consensus that these platforms facilitate social connection (70% of young people versus 64% of parents), a significant difference in opinion emerges regarding the educational and expressive value of digital life. Adolescents are twice as likely as their parents to believe that they 'learn a lot' online (65% vs 33%), and nearly twice as likely to view social media as a primary tool for self-expression (62% vs 35%).\r\n63% of adolescents report that social media improves their mood, whereas only 41% of parents observes a similar positive emotional shift in their children. Furthermore, the majority of young people (55%) identify social media as a source of personal confidence."}