Usefulness of regulatory inititatives (2025)

This table evaluates the perceived usefulness of various regulatory initiatives aimed at protecting minors online, as reported by young people (aged 12-17) in five European countries. The data reveal a strong preference for safety measures based on design over prohibitive ones. The highest levels of support are found for blurring inappropriate content (64% "very useful") and establishing support channels for reporting harm (60% "very useful"). This indicates that minors prioritise functional tools that mitigate exposure and provide immediate recourse. The majority of respondents view specific default settings for minors (53%) and shifting from algorithmic tracking to interest-based selection (52%) as highly useful interventions. Similarly, behavioural nudges such as 'Think before you share' pop-ups are considered highly effective by 52% of young people. In contrast, prohibitive and exclusionary measures receive the lowest 'very useful' ratings in the dataset. Age-based restrictions on social media (49%), smartphones (44%) and blanket bans on devices in schools (43%) attract the most scepticism, with school bans receiving the highest proportion of "not useful" responses at 17%.