Evidence Library
Comprehensive data charts, academic papers, and statistical analysis on the impact of social media on children and adolescents.
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.
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.
Reasons for a child no longer holding an account across age-restricted social media platforms in Australia three months after the social media ban implementation NEW
This table shows the main reasons parents gave for their child no longer having an account on an age-restricted social media platform after implementation. The data reveal that platform deactivation (43.6%) was the main reason for account closures, while child-led deactivation (36.3%) was notably more prevalent than parent-led deactivation (26.6%). Furthermore, the extremely low rate of parents reporting accounts for deactivation (1.9%) suggests either 'reporting fatigue' or a preference for managing the issue internally within the family rather than collaborating with the platform.
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.
Share of Population Who Had Issues When Using a Website or App of Public Authorities (2022)
This chart shows the percentage of individuals who had issues when using a website or app of public authorities (specifically reporting that the platform was difficult to use) in European Union and Norway. Reported difficulties range from 7.06% in Greece to 39.13% in Spain. This over five-fold difference suggests that the user experience of e-Government services varies widely based on national design standards, the complexity of administrative procedures, and the maturity of digital infrastructure. In a regional context, highly digitised nations such as Norway (34.11%), Finland (23.41%), and France (23.83%) report surprisingly high levels of difficulty, potentially reflecting higher citizen usage of such websites and applications or more complex, multi-functional systems that offer more points of potential failure. Conversely, Baltic and Central European states like Estonia (9.44%) and Poland (7.74%) align with Germany (8.38%) in reporting relatively low user frustration, suggesting more streamlined or accessible digital public interfaces compared to the higher-friction environments observed in Ireland (25.7%) and Luxembourg (20.6%).
Share of users in the EU showing patterns of social media addiction, by age groups NEW
This chart illustrates the proportion of EU users exhibiting patterns indicative of social media addiction (based on responders' self-identification of addiction patterns), specifically defined as the tendency to neglect work, school, or family responsibilities. The data reveal a significant 'functional impairment gap' between generations, with around 33% of those aged 16–30 reporting that their use of social media interferes with their daily responsibilities. This rate is almost triple that of the older cohort, with only 12% of users aged 31 and over reporting similar patterns of neglect.
Social Media Participation of Youth (16 to 29 Years Old), 2021-2025
The chart shows data on social media participation (i.e., participation in social networks: creating user profiles, posting messages or other contributions to social media) for individuals aged 16 to 29 years old over the years 2021-2025. The data indicates a significant expansion in social networking engagement, with the EU-27 average rising from 82.9% in 2021 to 89.28% in 2025.
Social Media Participation: Youth (16-29) vs. General Population (2025)
In 2025, active participation in social networking (i.e., participation in social networks: creating user profiles, posting messages or other contributions to Facebook, Twitter, etc.) is the dominant digital activity for European youth, with nearly 89% of the EU-27 youth population maintaining profiles and posting content compared to just 67% of the general population. The data highlights a profound gap across the continent, most notably in Croatia (+29pp), Austria (+28pp), and Poland (+27pp), where young people are exponentially more involved in social media than older generations. Even in major economies where general social media participation is relatively low, such as Germany (59%) and Italy (56%), the youth demographic remains highly active at 84% and 80%, respectively.
Social Media Platforms Used by Young Users for Information on Political and Social Issues
This chart shows which social media platforms are used most frequently by young people (aged 16–30) in the 27 European Union member states to access information on political issues. Significant regional variations exist among member states beyond the European average: in Italy and Portugal, for example, Instagram usage for news peaks at 59% and 56%, respectively. Although it is used less frequently on average, Facebook remains the primary news source for young people in Lithuania (56%), Hungary (55%) and Croatia (54%). TikTok usage is highest in Austria and Hungary (both 49%), while YouTube is the preferred platform in Ireland and Poland (both 46%). Ireland shows the highest engagement with X (Twitter) at 37%. To better visualise this, select a single social media platform on the X axis.