Evidence Library
Comprehensive data charts, academic papers, and statistical analysis on the impact of social media on children and adolescents.
Actions Recommended by Parents and Adolescents Themselves to Protect Mental Wellbeing on Social Media
This chart from the 2026 Flash Eurobarometer 'Impact of excessive screen time and social media on young people’s mental health' highlights a significant 'regulation divergence' between the active intervention strategies used by parents and the self-regulatory behaviours of adolescents. Patterns of protective action show that parents adopt a diversified set of strategies, dominated by dialogue and encouragement rather than by strict coercion. The data reveal a substantial communication gap: although 47% of parents say they talk to their children about their online activities, only 26% of adolescents say they engage in these conversations. Similarly, the perception of formal screen time or parental control tools usage varies between adolescents and their parents (33% of parents admit relying on this type of protective action, while only 19% of adolescents admit relying on such features). A significant trend emerges in the area of technical agency. Adolescents are more likely to take technical 'silencing' measures than parents realise; they are more proactive in limiting notifications (26% vs 17%) and reporting harmful content (25% vs 18%). Furthermore, adolescents are more likely than their parents to seek professional mental health support (14% vs 9%) in response to digital stress.
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.
Average hours of screen use per day "during the weekend (Saturday or Sunday)” by gender and age group
Based on the 2026 Flash Eurobarometer 'Impact of excessive screen time and social media on young people’s mental health', this chart shows how many hours European adolescents spend on screens during a typical weekend (Saturday and Sunday), broken down by gender and age group. The data reveal a clear developmental trend, with screen time increasing steadily as children grow older. Weekend usage grows from an average of 5.5 hours for 13–14-year-olds to a peak of 7.1 hours for 17–18-year-olds, representing a 29% increase in digital engagement over four years. Female adolescents report slightly higher-intensity usage (6.3 hours), compared to their male peers (5.9 hours).
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.