Parental attitudes to teen digital use

In mid‑June, a European Commission survey of teenagers across the EU found that nearly half of 13‑ to 18‑year‑olds view social‑media use as beneficial for mental health, while only about one‑fifth of parents share that view. Parents also underestimate their children’s screen time, which teens report as roughly 4.5 hours on school days and over six hours on weekends. The findings are feeding into an EU expert group’s work on possible age‑limit measures.

A week later, a South Korean poll of over 50,000 parents in several regions showed overwhelming support—98 %—for stricter limits on minors’ smartphone use. Most respondents cited concerns about harmful content, study disruption, loss of time‑management control, and family conflict. A large majority also favored a dedicated “Edu safe phone” that would retain essential safety functions while blocking short‑form video, social media, gaming, and anonymous chat. The Korean study is part of broader regional moves, including bans on under‑16 social‑media accounts in Australia and upcoming restrictions in the United Kingdom.

In July, experts in the United States and Norway urged parents to adopt purposeful screen‑time habits, such as weekly usage audits, device‑free zones before sleep, and disabling non‑human notifications. They also recommended teaching strong passwords, multi‑factor authentication, safe Wi‑Fi practices, and critical evaluation of AI‑generated content. A policy round‑table called for a multi‑stakeholder, “safety by design” approach that shares responsibility among families, schools, tech firms, and governments. Research from the University of Wisconsin and Norwegian institutions showed that more than 60 % of middle‑ and high‑school students surveyed between 2021‑2024 aspire to become social‑media influencers, placing online fame near the top of career motivations. These findings broaden the discussion from parental control to fostering digital literacy and managing the aspirational pull of influencer culture.