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For today’s children and teens, being online is totally normal. But behind the fun and colorful apps are hidden things that can seriously mess with young people’s minds, bodies, and how they grow up. A new ECAT report shines a light on the complicated relationship between online platforms and the health of children and teens.

Children are spending way more time staring at screens than they used to. Since 2010, the average time 9 to 15-year-olds spend on digital devices every day has more than doubled to around 3 hours! And it’s not just mindless scrolling – over 80% of young Europeans are on social media daily, where they’re bombarded with algorithms, ads, and content that might not be suitable for their age.

Experts at ECAT, a research unit within the Joint Research Center (JRC), decided to look at this phenomenon with scientific precision. In the fall of 2024, two roundtables were organised, bringing together top researchers to analyse how online platforms impact young people. 

For today’s children and teens, the internet is just a part of life. But behind the fun and colorful apps are things that can seriously mess with children’ minds, bodies, and how they grow up. The latest ECAT report shines a light on the complicated relationship between online platforms and the health of children and teens.

Vulnerable at the centre of algorithms

Children and teens are at a crucial stage of brain development where they’re learning to manage their emotions, impulses, and make decisions. At the same time, they’re spending more and more time on social media – and the amount of time they spend on these platforms really jumps up between ages 9 and 16.

This makes young users especially vulnerable to features that were designed for adults. One example is recommendation systems – these are algorithms that suggest content based on what you’ve clicked on before. While they can be helpful for finding new information, they can also expose children to inappropriate content and encourage compulsive behavior.

Social media companies make money from advertising, so they design their platforms to keep users scrolling for as long as possible. For children, this can lead to physical harm and addiction that can have long-term effects. children are spending way more time in front of screens than they used to. Since 2010, the average time 9 to 15-year-olds spend on digital devices every day has more than doubled to around 3 hours.

Already, more than 8 in 10 young Europeans log on to social media every day, immersing themselves in a reality shaped by algorithms, ads and content not always appropriate to their age.

The shadow of depression, anxiety and eating disorders

Research presented by ECAT shows that social media use is associated with a number of health problems – from anxiety and depression, to self-harm and eating disorders, to sleep disorders. Intense screen exposure affects, among other things, the prefrontal cortex and amygdala – areas of the brain responsible for self-control, emotions and stress processing.

Body image worries are a big concern for researchers. children are  bombarded with filtered photos and perfect bodies online, which can make them feel bad about themselves and lead to eating disorders.

Experts are also worried about the connection between social media and drinking. It’s hard to say if one causes the other, but it’s definitely something that needs more research.

Data gaps and research challenges

One of the biggest issues when analyzing social media’s impact on children is the lack of long-term data. Most studies only look at short-term effects, but the real consequences might not show up for years.

It’s also a complex issue – social media affects children differently depending on their age, gender, social skills, and how they use the platforms. There isn’t clear proof that social media directly causes bad mental health, partly because of other factors that could also play a role.

That’s why the JRC researchers suggest an approach that uses knowledge from different fields, like technology, child development, education, and public policy. Figuring out what makes young people vulnerable to online content can help create better rules and educational programs in the future.

Towards a safer digital future

In the future, scientists will keep a close eye on the long-term effects of social media on children – they’ll be looking at everything from how age verification systems work to how social media changes the brain.  At the same time, it’s super important to teach children how digital platforms work and how to use them responsibly.

Grown-ups – parents, teachers, and people who make policies – need to make sure that tech helps children grow up, instead of messing things up. The ECAT report is one more step toward making the internet safer and smarter, especially for children.

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