We are slaves to the screens. Day and night we remain connected to them as if they were an extension of our bodies. As if our hands are incomplete without a phone. As if our eyes could only look at the constant dance of colors and our ears could only focus on the shrill sounds they made. They’re addictive. We know it because we can feel it and see it in others, but also because there are studies. Dozens and hundreds of them. Among them there are those who warn about the impact they have on minors, who are most vulnerable to the lights and sounds that capture them. This week Australia took a step forward and banned the use of social media access by anyone under the age of 16. In light of this news, the Minister of Digital Transformation and Public Service, Óscar López, announced that the government plans to implement it a tool for blocking Access for minors under 16 to social networks in 2026. It’s late, but it’s coming.
Current Spanish legislation allows this under 14 years You can register on these platforms without requiring parental permission. However, the executive branch intends to raise the minimum age to 16 years. This promise comes when the presence of digital devices According to the report, the stress on children and young people’s everyday lives in Spain is reaching unprecedented levels Childhood, adolescence and digital well-being. An approach based on health, coexistence and social responsibilitycreated by UNICEF Spain, the University of Santiago de Compostela and the General Council of Computer Engineering Colleges, in collaboration with Red.es.
The study is based on a macro survey 75,329 students between 10 and 20 years, shows that the 82.4% of minors on average have their own mobile phone and access it 10.8 years. This early and massive access to digital technology is changing the way children and young people maintain relationships, learn and build their identities, but also brings challenges to mental health, coexistence and safety that require a coordinated social and institutional response.
The report states that the Use of social networks It is virtually universal among youth: 92.5% are registered on at least one platform and 75.8% on three or more. Even in the last years of primary school, 78.3% of students are already present in a social network. The cell phone, once considered an adult device, has become an everyday tool in school, family and children’s leisure activities. 44.3% of students take their cell phones to school every day and almost a third of them use it during class. In addition, 41.2% sleep with their cell phone in their room all or almost every day, and of those, the 47.5% use it at dawn.
14.2% of adolescents have significant symptoms of emotional distress, 13.1% have depressive symptoms and 7.4% are at high risk of suicide. Girls have significantly higher rates of life dissatisfaction, emotional stress and suicide risk than boys. The report states that “the percentage of adolescents who exhibit a low satisfaction with your current life is significantly higher among girls (22.4%) and in vocational training (28.9%).” Furthermore, the transition from primary school to ESO represents a significant increase in life dissatisfaction from 9.2% to 21.1%.
The problematic use of social networks and the need to switch off digitally are increasing phenomena. 5.7% of students may have developed a pattern of problematic social media use, with the prevalence being higher among girls and at higher levels of education. More than half of adolescents express a certain need for digital separation; this need is greater among girls. The report warns that “problematic social media use in adolescence is associated with greater emotional distress, poorer quality of life, and even worse quality of life.” an increased risk of suicide“.
Online risk behaviors such as sexting (sending or receiving messages, images or videos of a sexual nature) and contact with strangers remain relatively common. 14.9% practiced passive sexting and 6.4% practiced active sexting. 58.4% have spoken to strangers over the Internet and 14.3% have met in person with someone they only know online. 7.8% have received a sexual suggestion from an adult over the Internet, with girls receiving significantly more sexual suggestions.
Access to pornographic content It starts at a very early age, on average 11.5 years. 29.6% of students have seen pornography, compared to 55.7% in high school. 7.9% exhibit a pattern of problematic pornography consumption, a percentage that rises to 20.7% if only those who have ever consumed pornography are considered. The report states that “problematic pornography use is associated with higher rates of sexting and greater emotional distress.”
The OnlyFans phenomenon reaches teenagers: this 75.1% know the platform, 8.6% know someone who has made money with it and 2.1% have or had an account. Among those under 16 years of age is the 1.8% has an OnlyFans account that has been linked to higher levels of anxiety, depression and somatization.
The digital parenting service proves to be a key factor in maximizing the positive benefits of the technology and reducing the associated risks. Half of parents regularly talk to their children about the risks of the internet, but only one in four set limits on uploading or consuming content. 23.7% of students report that their parents use their cell phones during family dinners or dinners, doubling problematic use and online risky behavior. The report emphasizes that it is “essential to lead by example and establish good digital hygiene at home.”
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