Evidence Library
Comprehensive data charts, academic papers, and statistical analysis on the impact of social media on children and adolescents.
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Perceptions of AI's Impact on Society (2026)
This chart illustrates the difference in attitudes between parents and young people in the European Union regarding the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on society, as reported by Common Sense Media in 2026. The data reveal a significant 'optimism gap', with young people consistently reporting much higher levels of confidence in AI than their parents. In the short term, for example, 56% of young people believe that AI will benefit society, compared to just 41% of parents. A significant trend emerges when the long-term outlook is evaluated. While youth optimism increases over time, reaching a peak of 59%, parental sentiment shifts towards pessimism. In the long-term projection, parents are more likely to believe that AI will harm society (42%) than help it (40%), marking a 5 percentage point increase in concern compared to the short term.
Public Authorities Priorities Related to Digital Technologies
Almost nine out of ten European respondents (88%) state that countering and mitigating the issue of fake news and misinformation online. 83% think it is important for public authorities to shape the development of Artificial Intelligence and other digital technologies to ensure they respect our rights and values.
Public Perception: EU Protection of Digital Rights (2025)
Respondents were asked to what extent they think that the EU protects their rights in the digital environment. Less than half (44%) of respondents think that the EU protects their rights in the digital environment well and 41% of respondents think their rights are not well protected.
Public Urgency: Protecting Children from Online Risks (2025)
Public sentiment across the EU27 demonstrates an overwhelming mandate for regulatory intervention to protect minors online. Mental health risks emerge as the most critical concern, with 93% of respondents demanding public action, 67% of whom categorise it as 'very urgent.' This high level of concern is matched by a near-unanimous call for protection against cyberbullying and the implementation of robust age-assurance mechanisms, both of which are viewed as urgent by 92% of the population.
Support for AI Policies: Parents vs Youth (2026)
This chart shows how support for five specific AI-related policy interventions compares between parents and teenagers (aged 12–17) across the European Union. Plotting the regulatory categories along the horizontal X-axis reveals a high 'policy approval ceiling'; total support levels remain consistently high on the vertical Y-axis, never falling below 65% for either group. The highest shared mandate is for the clear labelling of AI-generated content, with 88% of parents and 81% of teenagers in favour. A significant trend emerges in the vertical disparity between the 'strong support' and 'somewhat support' segments for each group. Parents exhibit a much higher concentration of 'strong support' for every policy, peaking at 66% in the corporate accountability category. In contrast, youth support is more evenly distributed between strong and moderate agreement. The widest vertical disparity between the two groups is seen at the 'Age verification' pillar, where parental support is 18 percentage points higher than youth support.
Support for an under-16s social media ban is high across major voting groups in six European countries (2026)
This chart illustrates levels of public support for banning under-16s from social media across six European countries, disaggregated by political affiliation. The data reveal a striking 'cross-partisan consensus' in most Member States, where support for the measure remains high regardless of ideological leaning. A notable trend is the absence of partisan friction in Britain, France and Germany. In Britain and Germany, mainstream parties from opposite ends of the political spectrum, such as Labour and the Conservatives or the SPD and the CDU/CSU, show identical levels of support. This suggests that, in the regulatory core of Europe, digital protection for minors has transcended traditional party politics to become a universal policy goal. However, a secondary ideological gradient is visible in Spain and Poland, where a clear left–right divide emerges. In Spain, the left is leading the way, with SUMAR (89%) and PSOE (81%) showing significantly higher levels of support than the right-wing PP (63%) and far right VOX (55%). A similar pattern exists in Poland, where the centrist Civic Coalition (59%) leads, while Law and Justice (47%), the right-wing party, is the only major voting group in the dataset to fall below a majority. Italy provides a notable exception to this trend: unlike in Spain, the far right Brothers of Italy (76%) exceed the centre-left Democratic Party (69%). This suggests that, in certain national contexts, the ban is perceived as a means of traditional family protection, which has a stronger appeal to conservative voters. Overall, the general trend indicates that, while the populist and far right (AfD, VOX and Law and Justice) consistently shows the highest levels of scepticism, the social media ban remains a rare politically safe issue with majority backing across nearly the entire European political spectrum.
Support for social media ban in six European countries, disaggregated by age group (2026)
This table shows the level of public support for a social media ban among three age groups in six European countries. The data reveal remarkably high and stable levels of support across generations in France, where backing remains at or above 77% for all age groups. The survey also identifies a 'parental mandate', with parents of children under 18 emerging as the most enthusiastic supporters, with approval ratings reaching 79% in Britain, Italy and Spain. A significant trend emerges regarding generational scepticism in specific markets: while older adults in Britain (80%) are the most likely to favour a ban, the younger generation (18–34) in both Britain (68%) and Germany (59%) is more sceptical. Conversely, 'senior resistance' is evident in Poland, where support among those aged 55+ falls to 41%, and Spain, where the oldest generation is the least supportive (64%).
Support for social media ban in six European countries, disaggregated by gender (2026)
This table shows public support for banning social media for minors, disaggregated by gender, in six European countries. The data reveal a consistent gender support gap, whereby men are notably more likely than women to favour a ban in five of the six countries surveyed. The highest levels of male support are found in France (82%) and Britain (80%), where support among men exceeds that among women by 6 and 8 percentage points, respectively. A significant trend emerges in Southern Europe, where the gender disparity is most acute: in Italy, men support the ban by 10 percentage points more than women (75% vs 65%), and a similar 8-point gap exists in Spain. Poland is the only outlier in this dataset, being the only country where female support (55%) slightly exceeds male support (51%).
Teenagers' Attitudes Toward AI (Aged 12-17, 2026)
This chart illustrates the attitudes of European teenagers aged 12 to 17 towards the integration of artificial intelligence into their lives, as revealed in a 2026 Common Sense Media report. The data reveal a sophisticated 'human-first' mindset among young people, with the highest level of agreement (78%) being for the statement: 'To be best prepared for the future, we need to learn to think critically for ourselves, without the support of AI tools.' This suggests that, although teenagers are 'digital natives', they prioritise cognitive independence as a prerequisite for future readiness. A significant trend emerges in the balance between technological utility and perceived risk. While there is high enthusiasm for the statement 'I am interested in AI tools that could help me learn' (74%), and a pragmatic recognition that they 'should prepare for the future by learning how to best use AI tools' (73%), a majority of young people also harbour significant anxieties. Over six in ten (62%) agree that 'using AI tools will make children and teenagers less creative', and 54% fear that 'by the time we are adults, we will be so dependent on AI that we won't be able to function without it'.
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%.