Children’s use of social media and how it affects their well-being are issues that have received significant attention in public debate, both in Sweden and internationally. In the spring of 2026, an official inquiry will examine whether Sweden should introduce a national age limit on social media for children under 15. The aim would be to strengthen children’s health and safety in digital environments and to "break the stranglehold that social media has on children’s time and reality".

In this study, we examine Swedes’ attitudes toward the proposal to ban children under the age of 15 from using social media. What do parents, children, and the general public think about age restricitions? And how do adults feel about a potential requirement to verify their identity on social media that would apply to them as well? Would this affect their use? 

To gain a deeper understanding of how Swedes think about these issues, the people in the survey were asked to elaborate on their views in open-ended responses. The length of the responses shows that the issue is of great concern to many, but also that perspectives and experiences vary. The results indicate this is a complex issue, with both high hopes and significant concerns regarding the potential consequences of a national age limit.

Almost all children use social media, but daily usage is declining among the youngest

Almost all children aged 8–19 use social media (97%). YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and Roblox are the most popular platforms. However, daily social media use among children has declined, from 92 percent in 2022 and 2023 — when usage peaked — to 86 percent in 2025. The decline is particularly evident among elementary school-aged children, where daily usage has dropped from 75 percent in 2023 to 54 percent in 2025.

Parents are concerned about screen time and want to protect their children from negative effects of social media

Parents of children aged 8–19 see many challenges associated with their children’s use of social media. For one thing, parents consider screen time itself a problem, and many feel that social media is addictive to children. Several parents also describe how difficult it is to set limits for their own children when "all the other kids are allowed to" use social media.   

Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) of parents primarily see benefits in the proposal to ban children under 15 from using social media. The hope among many parents is that a national age limit will help reduce screen time while protecting children from being negatively influenced by social media content. This includes material that promotes unhealthy body image, disinformation, violence, or sexual content. There is also widespread concern among parents that social media is becoming a platform for bullying, grooming, or contact with gang members.

Who should regulate children's use of social media?

Support for banning children under 15 from using social media is relatively high among the adult population, but far from unanimous. Nearly one in three parents (33%) is undecided on the issue, and another 6% see mainly disadvantages in the proposal.

Although many parents see risks associated with social media, they also highlight positive aspects. Social media is an important part of children’s and young people’s social lives and particularly for young people who have few social contacts in real life. There is also concern that a ban would reduce adults’ insight into children’s digital lives. Among both parents and young people, some believe that a ban could be circumvented by children under 15, which would cause more unregulated platforms and adults having even less insight into the content children and young people encounter on these platforms.

Parents also disagree on who should bear the responsibility for regulating children’s use of social media. Some appreciate the idea of a national ban because it would make it easier for parents to set limits. Others, however, believe that it is the parents’ responsibility to decide whether, how, and to what extent their children may use social media, as well as which platforms are appropriate.

Children are more skeptical to restrictions than their parents

Children and young people aged 8–19 are more divided on the issue than both parents and the adult population. Only one in four (24%) children and adolescents primarily see benefits in a ban. This is significantly fewer compared to the adult population on average (53%) and, in particular, parents of children aged 8–19 (58%).  

Many children themselves see similar risks and problems with social media as their parents. However, children place greater emphasis on the central role that social media plays in their lives for keeping in touch with friends, having fun, and learning new things.

Many people see the benefits of identity verification, but nearly one in three believes it would affect their use of social media

Among the adult population aged 18–84, a majority (53%) believe that the benefits of a national age limit for social media outweigh the drawbacks. Roughly the same number (58%) also see mainly benefits in introducing a general requirement for identity verification to create or use social media accounts. But on the other hand, 3 in 10 believe that such a requirement would affect their own use of social media.  

Among other things, several in the survey mention that they would use social media less and reduce their "mindless scrolling". However, there is also concern about personal privacy, reduced anonymity, and sharing sensitive information with international platforms.