Teens View Social Media More Positively Than Parents, EU Survey Finds

Teenagers and young people in the European Union view the impact of social media on their mental health far more positively than their parents do, according to a survey commissioned by the European Commission.

Nearly half (48%) of respondents aged 13 to 18 said social media positively affects their mental well-being, compared to only 21% of parents. Conversely, 18% of teens reported a negative impact, while 36% of parents believed social media is harmful. About a third of teens said platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat have neither a positive nor negative effect, a view shared by 42% of parents.

The survey also found that parents underestimate their children's screen time. Teens reported spending an average of 4.5 hours on school days and 6.1 hours on weekends using smartphones, tablets, or watching television – about an hour more than parents estimated.

Researchers identified a correlation between more screen time and reported issues such as headaches, sleep disturbances, and difficulty concentrating. However, the report cautioned that these findings should not be interpreted as proof that screen use directly causes mental health problems. It noted that young people already experiencing difficulties may spend more time on social media or video games.

The results come amid growing efforts by countries to restrict children's access to social media. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced plans to ban social media for children under 16, citing Australia's example – Australia became the first country to implement such a ban in December. Canadian Culture Minister Mark Millers proposed amendments to prohibit under-16s from creating social media accounts and to require AI chatbot services to limit harmful content. Indonesia began enforcing a similar ban for under-16s in March, and several European governments have also expressed interest in introducing restrictions.