Teens view social media more positively than parents, survey finds

European teenagers view social media more favorably than their parents do, with nearly half reporting positive effects on their mental well-being. A recent survey revealed that 48% of respondents aged 13 to 18 believe social networks benefit their mental state, a stark contrast to the 21% of parents who share this view.

Conversely, only 18% of teenagers felt social media negatively impacted their mental health, while a significant 36% of parents perceived it as harmful. Around one-third of teens found no particular effect, positive or negative, from platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. This perspective was shared by 42% of parents.

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social networks positively affect their mental well-being.

The survey also highlighted a disconnect in time perception, with parents underestimating their children's screen time. Teenagers reported using smartphones, tablets, or watching TV for an average of 4.5 hours on school days and 6.1 hours on weekends – roughly an hour longer than their parents estimated.

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they have a harmful effect.

While researchers observed a correlation between extensive screen time and reported problems such as headaches, sleep disturbances, and difficulty concentrating, they cautioned that this does not prove direct causation. The report suggests that young people already facing challenges might simply spend more time on social media or gaming.

This discussion comes as several countries consider restrictions on social media access for minors. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced plans to ban social media for children under 16, influenced by Australia's similar move. Canada has also proposed legislation to prevent minors from creating social media accounts and to regulate AI chatbots.

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the findings should not be interpreted as proof that screen time directly causes mental health problems.