Youth Perception of Screen Impact (aged 13-18)

This chart from the 2026 Flash Eurobarometer 'Impact of excessive screen time and social media on young people’s mental health' survey illustrates a significant 'digital divergence' across the European Union, showing how adolescents (aged 13–18) perceive the impact of screens on their peers' lives. On average, European youth are slightly positive, with 40% reporting a positive impact and 29% a negative one. However, these figures mask extreme geographic disparities in technological trust. A significant regional trend emerges between the Mediterranean and Baltic states and Central and Western Europe. Malta (79% positive) and Cyprus (81% positive) have the most optimistic attitudes towards technology in the European Union, with 50% of Maltese young people describing the impact as "very positive". In stark contrast, a 'precautionary sentiment' dominates in the Czech Republic (45% negative) and France (42% negative), where nearly half of the youth population views screen time as harmful to their generation.