Romanian teens and parents flag excessive screen time and mental‑health risks

A Eurobarometer survey conducted between 30 March and 16 April 2026 found that 40 % of Romanian parents believe their children spend too much time in front of screens, and half view the overall impact of screens on adolescents as negative. Parents also reported signs such as fatigue, concentration difficulties and changes in eating habits.

Among Romanian adolescents aged 13‑18, 44 % say they spend too much time on screens and 38 % consider social‑media use excessive. Teens reported eye‑strain, poorer diet, sleep problems, concentration issues, headaches and reduced time for hobbies. In the past three months, 44 % encountered AI‑generated content they found hard to identify, 39 % saw false information or gambling promotion, and 25 % experienced online harassment.

Compared with the EU average, Romanian parents are slightly less likely to label screen time as too high (40 % vs 44 % EU) while Romanian teens report similar levels of excessive use. The study interviewed 500 parents and 1,042 adolescents across the EU.