Minors, screens and digital well-being: the 2026 European figures

On 16 June 2026 the European Commission released the results of a European Union-wide survey on the time minors spend online and its effects on their health and well-being. The publication coincided with the final meeting of the special panel on the online safety of minors. This contribution gathers the main figures and the institutional follow-up.

The 2026 European survey

The survey, carried out with the Eurobarometer instrument (survey no. 3686), finds that on average young people in the European Union spend four and a half hours online on school days and more than six hours at weekends. The results highlight the link between the age at which young people start using social media and the total time spent online. The survey collected the responses of both adolescents and parents, with the aim of documenting the impact of digital platforms on the mental and physical health of the youngest. The protection of minors online is considered a high priority by 92% of Europeans according to figures collected by the European Commission, and the 2026 survey provides a quantitative basis for this widespread concern.

The health effects reported by adolescents

According to the survey, nine adolescents out of ten report at least one negative symptom linked to screen time, such as tired eyes, headaches, difficulty concentrating or unhealthy eating. Almost one adolescent in three reports feeling stress, sadness or social exclusion because of social media, and 45% say they compare themselves with others on the platforms. About 25% have come across problematic content online, including hate speech, while 40% call for better access to mental health support.

The perception of parents

The parents’ point of view also confirms the concern. More than 50% say that time spent online has a negative impact on their children’s lives and 36% believe that social media harm their mental well-being. Some 54% of parents are in favour of further age limits or restrictions on the use of social media. The comparison between the responses of adolescents and adults gives a converging picture of the need for action.

The meaning of the data

The comparison between the two perspectives gives a coherent picture. On the physical side, symptoms such as eye strain and headaches emerge; on the psychological side, stress, comparison with others and a sense of exclusion recur. The call for better access to mental health support, made by 40% of adolescents, indicates that the issue concerns not only limiting time online but also the availability of support services. The survey data do not establish a single cause and effect relationship, but they document a correlation between intensive platform use and a range of indicators of distress, and they link the age of first access to social media to the overall time spent online.

The mental health dimension occupies a significant place in the results. The call for better access to psychological support shifts attention from the mere management of exposure time to the availability of dedicated services and the quality of the online experience. Protecting minors online and supporting their mental health are identified by the European Commission as absolute priorities, within a framework in which the Union already has rules for the protection of minors and is stepping up its efforts in response to growing risks and to concerns about the impact of digital platforms. Reading the data together with the measures already in place avoids reducing the phenomenon to a question of screen time alone.

The European Commission’s special panel

In 2026 the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, set up a special panel of experts tasked with helping to define a practical European approach to the online safety of minors. The panel brought together youth representatives and specialists from various fields, including health, neuroscience, psychology, computer science, child rights and digital literacy. Participants examined the risks and benefits of social media use, the measures already in place to protect minors in the European Union and beyond and the ways to strengthen them. Among the themes discussed was the empowerment of caregivers for their children’s online well-being. On 13 July 2026 the co-chairs of the panel presented their final recommendations to the President.

Outlook

The final recommendations of the panel co-chairs, presented on 13 July 2026, add to the framework already in force, which includes the Digital Services Act and the pilot phase of the European age verification blueprint. The Commission has also announced that it is gathering expert advice on possible age restrictions for access to social media and a European inquiry into the effects of social media on mental health and well-being. What remains to be defined is the operational follow-up to the recommendations and the extent to which Member States and platforms will take them up.

In dialogue with the 2030 Agenda

Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). Screen time, mental health and the physical symptoms of adolescents are at the centre of the European survey.
Goal 4 (Quality Education). Prevention relies on digital literacy and on the informed use of online tools.
Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). The Commission panel and the digital services framework define the institutional safeguards for minors.