Written by Tarja Laaninen with Joris Bol.
Almost all young people in the European Union use the internet daily and are much more likely to participate in social network activities than the total population. Social media platforms have also become young people’s top source for information on political and social issues: in a Flash Eurobarometer survey in 2025, 65 % of respondents aged between 15 and 24 said social media was their main source of information.
Some EU Member States are considering laws banning social media use for under 15-year-olds and calling for a pan-European digital age of majority. An EU-funded pan-European knowledge platform has developed a theoretical framework – the 4C model (content, contact, conduct and contract) –to inform understanding of the ways in which online platforms may pose a threat to young people, including disinformation, hate speech and violent content, or access to harmful communities.
In her State of the Union speech in September 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she will commission a panel of experts to advise her on the best approach for Europe concerning social media, by the end of the year. In her key priorities for the following year, she lists an action plan against cyberbullying, expected in early 2026, as well as a digital fairness act, which could further address topics such as addictive design, dark patterns, and in-app purchases. A full evaluation and review of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) will also take place in 2026, paying particular attention to the regulation of influencers and the protection of minors.
Read the complete briefing on ‘Youth and social media‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.
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