Evidence Library
Comprehensive data charts, academic papers, and statistical analysis on the impact of social media on children and adolescents.
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 assurance methods employed by platforms
This chart breaks down the technical methods employed by the 353 platforms that attempt to verify age. The data reveal that 88% of these services rely on 'self-declaration'. Advanced, privacy-preserving technologies such as age verification (11%) and age estimation (5%) remain rare.
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.
Attitude towards regulation of minors' online activities (2025)
This table examines the views of young people (aged 12-17) on digital regulation and the governance of their online lives across five European countries. The 2025 Euroconsumers survey reveals a high level of consent for protection, with an overwhelming 82% of respondents agreeing that minors should be restricted from accessing certain content. Furthermore, the findings suggest a preference for local versus distant authority: while 58% of young people agree that their parents should control the content they access, almost half (45%) do not believe that the government should control what minors do online. The survey also highlights a significant credibility gap between policymakers and parents on one hand and young people on the other. Notably, 76% of minors believe that adults should limit their own screen time before imposing restrictions on teenagers, suggesting that perceived hypocrisy could undermine the legitimacy of digital rules. Additionally, the population is deeply divided on the efficacy of the current status quo: only 37% believe that current regulations are sufficient and just 41% feel that the privacy and safety of teenagers receive enough attention.
Attitudes Towards Social Media Algorithms (2025)
This table examines the attitudes of young people (aged 12-17) towards social media algorithms in five European countries: Belgium, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain. The 2025 survey reveals a significant demand for digital agency, with 68% of respondents expressing a desire for more control over the content in their feeds. This desire is emphasised by a high level of concern about algorithmic influence: 56% of young people are worried that social media platforms control their experience, and 57% admit that algorithms cause them to spend more time online than intended. The findings also highlight a complex duality in user perception: while 50% of respondents recognise the functional benefits of algorithms in saving time and providing relevant content, 42% report not even noticing that algorithms are shaping their feeds.
Awareness of Online Applicability of the Fundamental Rights
Awareness of the fact that fundamental rights also apply online is currently in decline across the European Union. Only 59% of citizens are aware of their digital legal standing.
Best Methods for Age Verification According to Teenagers (aged 12-14 and 15-17) (2025)
This table examines the preferences of European teenagers (aged 12-17) regarding technical methods for age verification in five countries: Belgium, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain. The 2025 data reveal that there is no single 'preferred' solution among young people; instead, support is fragmented across multiple technical approaches. A significant trend emerges among older teenagers (aged 15–17), who demonstrate the strongest preference for platform-specific verification (38%), indicating a preference for distinct digital identities rather than a universal 'digital key'. By contrast, younger teenagers (aged 12–14) are more open to centralised gatekeeping, with 34% supporting verification at the app store level compared to 28% of older teenagers. One-time, device-linked verification remains a consistently popular option for both age groups (34–36%), reflecting an appreciation of user convenience. While privacy-preserving methods such as dedicated anonymity apps (30–31%) and biometric identification (28–32%) receive significant support, they do not emerge as the leading choices.
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%).
Civic & Political Participation: Youth vs. General Population (2025)
The 2025 Eurostat data reveal that the internet has become a vital infrastructure for youth democratic engagement, with 24.33% of EU youth using digital platforms for civic or political participation, outpacing the general population by 4 percentage points. This gap is widest in Slovenia, where nearly half (49.4%) of all young people utilise the internet for political expression (only 33% of the general population do it). Youth high participation rates are found also in Latvia (33%) and Netherlands (36%).