somes

Protecting Youth in the Digital Age

Summary

This report proposes stronger EU protections for young people against the risks of social media, including mental health issues, cyberbullying, and manipulative algorithms.
10 14.07.2026
Other
health
education
human rights
social policy
information technology and data processing

Key points

  • Teenagers are spending significantly more time on screens, with some children aged 8-12 using devices for over 8 hours daily.
  • Social media use is linked to serious mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and sleep disruption.
  • The report calls for privacy-respecting age verification systems that could be linked to the EU Digital Identity Wallet.
  • There is a need to extend rules regarding advertising transparency and minor protection to influencers and video-sharing platforms.
Documents (PDFs)
DRAFT OPINION on the impact of social media and the online environment on young people DRAFT OPINION on the impact of social media and the online environment on young people DRAFT OPINION on the impact of social media and the online environment on young people DRAFT REPORT on the impact of social media and the online environment on young people OPINION on the impact of social media and the online environment on young people
These raw data are provided by the Open Data Portal of the European Union (data.europa.eu) and are licensed under ODC-BY 1.0.