WHY

This category examines the underlying drivers that determine why children engage with social media in the ways they do. It moves beyond simple usage statistics to explore the structural conditions — including socioeconomic disparities, the digital divide, infrastructure gaps and cultural norms — that shape the digital environment for young users.

Evidence in this category establishes the baseline context: how deeply integrated social media has become in the daily lives of European youth, which platforms dominate, and how usage patterns vary by income, geography and access to alternatives like safe outdoor spaces or structured activities.

Key findings include the shift of the "Digital Divide" from access to usage quality, with lower-SES children spending significantly more time on passive screen consumption, and the near-universal adoption of social media among 15-year-olds (96% daily participation).