Youth and social media

Most young people in the EU use the internet daily and rely heavily on social media for political and social information. Some Member States are considering banning social media for under-15s due to risks such as disinformation, hate speech, violent content and harmful online communities, identified in the EU’s 4C model. The European Commission plans new measures, including an action plan against cyberbullying, a digital fairness act addressing addictive design, and a 2026 review of the Audiovisual Media
Services Directive to better regulate influencers and protect minors.