Evidence Library
Comprehensive data charts, academic papers, and statistical analysis on the impact of social media on children and adolescents.
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Actions Taken by Online Services When Underage Accounts are Detected (2024)
Data represents the frequency of specific enforcement actions identified across 50 online service instances. A service may be counted in only one category. This chart shows the enforcement actions that 50 online services state they will take when they detect an account belonging to someone underage in 2024, broken down by service category. While "suspending the account" (either alone or combined with deleting data) is the industry standard for high-risk sectors, the specific approach varies significantly depending on the nature of the platform. A significant trend emerges in sectors characterised by real-time interaction. Random live video chat (75%) and social media (50%) utilise the comprehensive 'suspend account + delete data' approach the most. In contrast, sectors such as dating (60%), pornography (50%) and messaging (50%) tend to suspend accounts without explicitly stating that data will be deleted as part of the primary enforcement action. The data also highlight a profound 'transparency gap' and a lack of protective thresholds in certain sectors. Most notably, 67% of gaming services provide no information regarding their enforcement actions; a lack of transparency is also seen in 40% of services designed specifically 'for kids'. Furthermore, 40% of "For kids" services and 17% of "Gaming" services state that they have no minimum age, rendering detection-based enforcement unnecessary. Finally, a distinct 'data-centric' model is evident in app stores (67%) and generative AI (50%), where platforms prioritise deleting minor's data over suspending the account itself.
Age Verification Methods Used by Online Services (2024)
This chart shows the technical methods used by 50 online services to verify users' ages in 2024. The data represent the percentage usage of each method within each service category. The data reveal that government-issued ID is the most widely adopted method, appearing in 80% of categories and serving as the sole verification tool for services in the 'For Kids' and 'Messaging' sectors. A significant trend emerges in high-engagement and high-risk categories, where multiple methods are often combined. In the social media sector, half of the platforms (50%) rely on ID verification, while the remainder is split between credit card checks (20%), ID + selfie checks (20%), and mobile phone checks (10%). In contrast, the pornography sector shows a heavy reliance on biometric and human-assisted methods, with 60% of platforms requiring ID and a selfie, and 20% utilising live chat with staff. The data also highlight sector-specific preferences for non-ID methods. App stores rely entirely on mobile phone verification, a method that also dominates the gaming sector. Generative AI services exhibit a unique profile, with 50% of platforms utilising credit card verification, the highest rate for this method across all categories. Although traditional ID remains the regulatory backbone, sectors involving immersive or sensitive content are increasingly adopting biometrically linked 'ID + selfie' protocols to ensure higher assurance levels.
Child Sexual Abuse Material Victim Demographics: Age Distribution (2023-2024)
In 2024, 93.24% of CSAM victims were pre-pubescent (ages 3-13), up from 90% in 2023, continuing to represent the vast majority of cases. Pubescent victims (ages 14-17) decreased to 6.59%, down from 10% in 2023, showing a notable decline. Infant and toddler victims (under 3 years old) accounted for 0.17%, a slight drop from 0.34% earlier in the year. These trends underscore the continued predominance of pre-pubescent victims.
Circumstances in Which Online Services Use Age Verification (2024)
Data represents the frequency of age verification (AV) triggers across 50 online service instances. Services often apply AV in multiple scenarios. This chart illustrates the triggers or circumstances under which age verification (AV) mechanisms are deployed, with data representing the percentage of instances within each specific digital service category. The data reveal that utilising AV "to access certain features" is the most widespread strategy, appearing in 70% of the categories and accounting for 50% of the triggers in the Social Media, Pornography, and Generative AI sectors. A significant trend emerges regarding the influence of regional regulations; verifying users "in certain geographic locations" is the dominant trigger for Gaming and App Stores (67%), and represents half of the triggers for Immersive environments and Generative AI (50%). Furthermore, the data highlight a heavily reactive enforcement landscape in specific sectors: Random live video chat relies exclusively on AV "on appeal" (100%), a method that also accounts for 40% of the triggers used by Social Media platforms following account suspensions. The data also underscore the rarity of proactive safety measures. Verification "at registration" is the primary method for only two categories: it is the exclusive trigger for "For kids" services (100%), but represents only 14% of the triggers in the Dating sector. Similarly, triggering AV due to "suspicious activity" remains a marginal practice, appearing only in Pornography (17%) and Dating (14%).
Digital Governance: Interacting with Public Authorities by Age (2023)
This chart shows the percentage of individuals using the internet for visiting or interacting with public authorities' websites, in 2023, in Europe, United States and United Kingdom. The data shows e-Government engagement ranging from high-saturation levels in the Nordics to significantly lower participation in Eastern Europe. A significant generational trend emerges: while the 25-54 age group typically leads engagement due to administrative requirements, youth (16-24) participation is remarkably inconsistent across borders.
Division of Responsibility for Digital Literacy and Online Safety Education
This table maps the "Division of Responsibility" between the government and the family. A strong majority (62%) view Digital Literacy and Online Safety as a school responsibility. Despite the risks of the digital age, Mental Wellbeing (69%) and Moral Values (72%) are seen as strictly parental duties.
The survey covers 30 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Türkiye, and the United States.
Gender Differences in Civic Knowledge
This chart illustrates gender disparities in civic knowledge across different countries, as revealed by the 2022 ICCS results. The Y-axis represents the advantage that girls have over boys in terms of scale points. The data reveal a universal gender gap in civic knowledge, with girls outperforming boys in every surveyed nation. The international average difference is 26 scale points. A significant regional trend emerges, with countries in Northern and Eastern Europe reporting the highest disparities. Bulgaria (41 points), Sweden (37 points) and Norway (36 points) show a female advantage that is significantly higher than the international average. In contrast, the gender gap is significantly narrower in countries such as Spain (17 points) and France (13 points). Interestingly, the difference between boys and girls was found to be statistically insignificant in the Netherlands (10 points) and Colombia (6 points).
Generational Outlook: AI Will Have More Positive than Negative Impact on Education (2024)
Even among this "most optimistic" group, less than one-third of respondents believe the impact will be more positive than negative. There is only a 3-percentage point difference between the most optimistic (Gen Z) and the least optimistic (Boomers). The survey covers 30 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Türkiye, and the United States.
Generational Perspectives on Device vs. Content Bans
The chart shows how different generations feel about banning smartphones in schools and imposing a blanket social media ban for under-14s. The data reveals a significant "Consensus Gap" between hardware restrictions and age-based platform access. While the generations are divided on whether smartphones belong in schools, they are remarkably united on the need to protect children under 14 when it comes to social media. The data covers 33 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Türkiye, and the United States.
Global Public Sentiment on Social Media Bans for Under-14s (2024)
On average, 65% of people across 30 countries believe children under 14 should not be on social media.Germany is the only country where more people disagree with a ban (42%) than support it (40%), favoring education and personal freedom over strict laws. The study covers 30 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Türkiye, and the United States.