FRA - European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

03/27/2026 | Press release | Archived content

Europeans deeply concerned about children’s use of social media

News Item
27 March 2026

Europeans deeply concerned about children's use of social media

Irena Geo / adobestock.com, 2026
The majority of people in the EU are concerned about protecting children online and support age limits for social media use, according to recent survey data from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). Fear of exploitation, exposure to harmful content or addiction to social media are among the main concerns cited by respondents. FRA's findings can help shape discussions on how best to protect children online and ensure respect for fundamental rights.

FRA's paper 'Protecting children on social media' highlights the concerns of over 26,000 people surveyed across the EU about children's use of social media and their views on restricting access.

Among the top concerns are:

  • Exposure to violent content (89%)
  • Risk of exploitation (89%)
  • Social media addiction (88%)

The survey also asked about legal age limits on social media usage by children. The results show that 74% of people think that children should be prohibited from using social media at a certain age.

However, people vary in their opinion on the minimum age requirements for use of social media. Most adult respondents support setting the limit at 16 or 18. Younger people who were surveyed, aged 15 to 17, prefer lower limits, typically 14 or 15.

The EU and Member States are already working to make social media safer for children through the EU's Digital Services Act, alongside efforts to harmonise age verification across the EU. A special panel on child safety online was also set up to advise the European Commission on the matter.

FRA's survey findings contribute to ongoing discussions on how to protect children online. They can help ensure that children's fundamental rights are protected, including rights such as freedom of expression and the right to participation, privacy and data protection.

The survey was carried out in November 2025.

FRA - European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights published this content on March 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 03, 2026 at 04:41 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]