Evidence Library
Comprehensive data charts, academic papers, and statistical analysis on the impact of social media on children and adolescents.
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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.
Concerns about safety of children when using social media NEW
This chart illustrates public concerns in the European Union about the safety of children on social media, as revealed by a 2026 FRA survey of over 26,000 individuals. The data reveal an overwhelming consensus on digital risks, with concern levels exceeding 80% for all eight monitored categories. The most acute anxieties are tied to encountering violent content and predatory exploitation, both of which reach a peak concern level of 89% (54% are "very concerned"). Concerns about excessive usage and data exploitation both rank nearly as high at 88%, directly mirroring ongoing policy debates about addictive design and privacy issues. Even the category with the lowest reported level of concern (for example, the exposure to conspiracy theories) still affects 80% of the population.
Cyberbullying Prevalence (2022)
The chart shows the percentages of children experiencing cyberbullying, in 2022, in 22 European Union members with the prevalence of children experiencing cyberbullying ranging from 5% in Spain to a high of 23% in Lithuania. A clear regional trend emerges: Southern European nations, including Portugal (7%) and Italy (8%), report significantly lower rates of cyberbullying, while the Baltic and Eastern European states, most notably Lithuania (23%), Poland (21.5%), and Latvia (21.5%), report the highest levels.
Cyberbullying Prevalence by Gender (2022)
This chart shows the percentage of children experiencing cyberbullying by gender in 2022 across 22 European Union member states. The data shows that digital harassment risks vary significantly by gender and national context.
Estimated Probabilities of 15-Year-Olds Experiencing Poor Mental Health (Anxiety) by Gender and Time Spent on Social Media (2022)
The chart presents the results of a regression analysis based on countries that took both the ICT and the well-being PISA 2022 survey modules: Hungary, Ireland, Slovenia and Spain, covering a representative sample of 40,102 15-year-old students in 1,743 schools in Europe. It indicates that the correlation between time spent using social media and mental health is relatively consistent across genders, with both male and female adolescents reporting higher rates of depression and anxiety as social media usage increases. Yet, other factors other than time spent, or combinations of multiple factors, are likely to influence the relationship between the use of social media and mental health outcomes.
Estimated Probabilities of 15-Year-Olds Experiencing Poor Mental Health (Depression) by Gender and Time Spent on Social Media (2022)
The chart presents the results of a regression analysis based on countries that took both the ICT and the well-being PISA 2022 survey modules: Hungary, Ireland, Slovenia and Spain, covering a representative sample of 40,102 15-year-old students in 1,743 schools in Europe. It indicates that the correlation between time spent using social media and mental health is relatively consistent across genders, with both male and female adolescents reporting higher rates of depression and anxiety as social media usage increases. Yet, other factors other than time spent, or combinations of multiple factors, are likely to influence the relationship between the use of social media and mental health outcomes.
Exposure to Misinformation (2022)
This chart shows the percentage of individuals who have seen untrue or doubtful information or content on internet news sites or social media, in 2022, across 22 European member states, EEA partners (Norway, Iceland), and Switzerland. Reported exposure to misinformation ranges from 34.5% in Greece to a high of 70.7% in the Netherlands. A clear regional trend emerges: Northern European and Nordic nations, including Finland (69.8%), Sweden (64.7%), and the Netherlands (70.7%), report the highest levels of exposure, while Southern European nations, specifically Greece (34.5%) and Italy (37.4%), report significantly lower encounters with doubtful information.
Exposure to Misinformation: Breakdown by Age Group (2022)
This chart shows the percentage of individuals who have seen untrue or doubtful information or content on internet news sites or social media in 2022, disaggregated by age groups (16-24, 25-54/64, and 55/65+) in Europe. The data reveal a stark "generational information gap" within the European digital space, with the youngest demographic (16-24) consistently reporting the highest exposure to doubtful content across every territory. Among this youth group, exposure to misinformation ranges from 41.6% in Greece to a peak of 80.7% in the Netherlands, suggesting that in highly digitised markets, encounter rates with doubtful information are nearly universal for young people.
Mental Health in 15-Year-Olds by Gender (2022)
The chart shows the share of 15-year-olds experiencing poor mental health, specifically symptoms of depression and anxiety, disaggregated by gender. In 2022, nearly half of all adolescents (47%) report symptoms of depression and over half (53%) struggle with anxiety. Female adolescents report higher rates of mental health struggles, with 60% experiencing depression and 65% experiencing anxiety.
Proportion of 13–17-years-old who have seen different types of violent content on social media in the past 12 months
This table shows the prevalence of specific violent and illegal content that 13- to 17-year-olds have encountered online. A total of 70% of children report having seen some form of violence, with fights involving young people (56%) and threats of physical harm (43%) being the most commonly reported experiences. Significant exposure to illegal or high-risk activities was also reported, with 38% of young people seeing content related to illegal drug use and 35% seeing the carrying or use of weapons. Furthermore, 33% of respondents report seeing the promotion of gangs or illegal drugs. Even the least prevalent categories, such as glorifying previous attacks (29%) and sexually violent content (27%), affect over a quarter of those surveyed, highlighting widespread exposure to various digital risks.