Evidence Library
Comprehensive data charts, academic papers, and statistical analysis on the impact of social media on children and adolescents.
filtered by Geographical
Percentage of 11-year-olds who report problematic social media use
This table shows the percentage of 11-year-olds who experienced 'problematic' (addictive-like) social media use in 2022, broken down by the regions covered by the HBSC survey, including European member states, North America and Central Asia. The 2022 data reveal a significant 'early-onset addiction gap', with an average of 9% of children exhibiting at least six symptoms of digital dependency, such as withdrawal and loss of control, before entering their teens. A sharp regional divide emerges between Eastern and Western Europe: Romania (17–18%) and Bulgaria (14–16%) report the highest levels of early-stage problematic use, while the Netherlands (4–5%) and Switzerland (5%) have the lowest risk profiles in the dataset. Although the global average shows gender parity at 9%, striking gender disparities emerge in the United Kingdom and Mediterranean regions. In England and Malta, nearly one in five 11-year-old girls exhibits addictive behaviours, significantly higher than their male counterparts.
Percentage of 13-year-olds who report problematic social media use
This table shows the percentage of 13-year-olds who experienced 'problematic' (addictive-like) social media use in 2022 across the HBSC survey regions, which include European member states, North America and Central Asia. The 2022 data reveal a sharp increase in digital dependency among children entering their early teens, particularly among girls, where the average prevalence (16%) is almost double that among boys (9%). A pronounced regional risk cluster persists in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, with Romania (21–28%) and Malta (14–28%) reporting the highest levels of problematic use in the dataset. Unlike the 11-year-old cohort, striking gender disparities become the norm at age 13, particularly in Western and Southern Europe. In countries such as England, Ireland and Italy, girls are two to three times more likely than boys to exhibit addictive behaviours. Conversely, the Netherlands (5–8%) and Hungary (5–10%) continue to have the lowest risk profiles, suggesting that national digital cultures and domestic management strategies play a significant role in mitigating these symptoms during the "vulnerability window" of early adolescence.
Percentage of 15-year-olds who report problematic social media use
This table presents the percentage of 15-year-olds who reported 'problematic' (addictive-like) social media use in 2022 across the HBSC survey regions, including European member states, North America, and Central Asia. The 2022 data reveal a "vulnerability plateau" among mid-adolescents, with an average of 14% of girls and 8% of boys exhibiting clinical symptoms of digital dependency. A clear geographic divide remains evident: Romania (18–28%), Ireland (13–25%) and Malta (13–24%) reported the highest levels of problematic use, while the Netherlands (3–7%) and Hungary (3–9%) had the most resilient digital environments. At age 15, the gender gap in digital addiction remains significant across most of Europe, with girls being approximately twice as likely as boys to report symptoms of loss of control and withdrawal. This disparity is particularly striking in the Mediterranean and Anglosphere: in Cyprus and Greece, for example, more than one in five girls report problematic use, compared to around 10% of boys.
Prevalence of Age Assurance Mechanisms Among Online Services (2024)
Based on 50 digital service instances. Please note that services may employ more than one mechanism, so the totals represent the frequency of use across the sample. This chart illustrates the prevalence and systematic nature of age assurance mechanisms across 50 online services in 2024. The data represent the percentage usage within each category. The data reveal that 'age verification in some cases' (conditional/situational checks) is the most widely used technical strategy. This approach is dominant in the pornography sector (80%) and social media (50%), suggesting that these high-risk areas rely heavily on reactive verification triggers. A significant trend is the continued reliance on the 'honesty box' model: 'Self-declaration only', in fact, remains a primary tool for several sectors, accounting for 66.7% of immersive environments and 50% of both generative AI and 'for kids' services. Additionally, 'age estimation in some cases' serves as a frequent situational layer, particularly for social media (42.9%) and random live video chat (28.6%). The data also highlight the extreme rarity of systematic barriers across the entire user base. 'Age estimation in all cases' is used by only two sectors: Dating (25%) and Gaming (10%). Furthermore, the chart reveals a significant enforcement gap in the App Store category, which has the highest rate of total non-compliance, with 40% of services providing neither age verification mechanisms nor self-declaration prompts. Overall, these findings emphasise that technical interventions are currently used as discretionary filters rather than as universal entry requirements, even in services designed specifically for children or containing high-risk content.
Public Opinion on Banning AI Tools Use in Schools (2024)
The data reveals a clear "hardening" of attitudes toward AI in the classroom. Within a single year, support for an outright ban on AI tools in schools has increased from 29% to 36%. Conversely, the proportion of the population that once opposed a ban has dropped to 37%, leaving the global public almost evenly split. A significant 27% of the population remains undecided. 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.
Schools as Primary Source for Digital Literacy: Generational Views (2024)
The data demonstrates a clear, majority consensus across all age groups that the responsibility for teaching digital literacy and online safety lies with schools and teachers. While 58% of Gen Z views teachers as the primary source of this education, this figure rises to 64% for Gen X and reaches 69% for Boomers.
The survey's georgaphical coverage include 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.
Social Media Use Among 13-Year-Olds by Gender (2022)
Gender differences in problematic media use are highest. Overall, problematic social media use is higher for 13-year old girls than boys. The survey covers 44 countries and regions in Europe, central Asia and Canada.
Status of age restrictions on social media in OECD Member and accession candidate countries (2023-2026)
This chart illustrates the legislative momentum surrounding social media age restrictions in OECD member and accession candidate countries from 2023 to 2026. The data reveals a rapid acceleration in policy activity, with the number of countries addressing the issue set to rise from one in 2023 to 25 by 2026. A significant trend is the shift from political debate to active enforcement. While 2023 and 2024 were characterised almost entirely by proposals 'under consideration', by 2026, the number of countries with restrictions 'in force' (orange) may increase significantly. However, the data also shows that the vast majority of countries (22 out of 25) are still in the 'publicly under consideration' (dark blue) phase.
The Detection of Illegal Content (2023–2024)
The staggering 218% increase in exchanged records is largely attributed to a high-volume surge identified by the SafeNet Bulgaria hotline, which accounted for 1.6 million records. Furthermore, the identification of 929,733 "New Records", a 35% increase, demonstrates that despite better tracking, nearly one million pieces of previously unseen abusive content entered the system in 2024 alone.
Trends in the Identification of Child Sexual Abuse Material (2020–2024)
The data reveals a record-breaking surge in the identification of CSAM, with 2024 figures surpassing the previous five-year peak by over 140%. The most alarming metric is the volume of confirmed illegal records, which jumped by 202% in a single year to reach 1.63 million.