Three out of ten minors consider themselves addicted to social media, according to a study by the University
The report delaying the age of access as much as possible, strengthening Education and digital Education , and requiring platforms to implement more well-being algorithms
04 | 05 | 2026
Twenty-nine percent of minors admit to feeling “hooked” on social media, although only 4% see this as a problem. This is according to a study conducted by the School of Communication at the University of Navarra for ICMEDIA on social media use among minors in Spain.
The research, conducted by Patricia San Miguel, Cristina Sánchez-Blanco, and Ángel Arrese in collaboration with Rocío Elizaga, a professor at the ISEM Fashion Business School, is based on 2,020 surveys of children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 and provides a comprehensive overview of their digital habits, emotional perceptions, management , family communication, and reactions to adverse experiences.
The study examines how social media has become an integral part of young people’s leisure and social lives, with platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram WhatsApp leading in terms of time spent. The report that, although content posting is less frequent, nearly half of teenagers upload photos at least once a month.
Regarding time spent online, the findings reveal that among 8- to 12-year-olds, 29% of boys and 23% of girls use social media for 1 to 2 hours a day. Furthermore, parental control over screen time is more evident at these ages, whereas during adolescence, more independent and individualized use predominates.
Cyberbullying Among Adolescents: Insults, Teasing, and the Sharing of Non-Consensual Images
In this context, it is evident that anxiety about being disconnected begins at an early age: 18% of children report feeling anxious when they cannot check their social media accounts. Likewise, researchers warn that this patron saint during adolescence, a stage in which forms of cyberbullying proliferate, such as insults (18%), teasing (11%), and the unauthorized sharing of images (7%).
On the other hand, the research also research that attending public or private schools does not result in significant differences in social media use or in management at home.
To mitigate these risks, the authors recommend delaying children’s access to social media as long as possible, strengthening Education and digital Education both at home and in the classroom, and requiring platforms to use “more algorithms that promote well-being and fewer that promote addiction.” The report that the core topic is core topic merely limiting screen time, but fostering critical and supervised use that prioritizes emotional well-being over hyperconnectivity.
Rights in the Digital World
This study, conducted by the School of Communication the University of Navarra and sponsored by ICMEDIA, was carried out under the agreement promote implementation of the Charter of Digital Rights, whose goal to adapt existing rights in the physical realm to technological challenges, ensuring their enforcement and strengthening democracy in the digital transformation. This agreement a public-private initiative promoted by network.es, an entity affiliated with the Ministry for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service.