PUBLICATION – Minors’ health and social media: An interdisciplinary scientific perspective

An interdisciplinary scientific perspective

Protecting minors online is one of the key pillars of the DSA, which contains an obligation for all online platforms to provide a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors using their services.

The European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency (ECAT), which is part of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, supports the implementation of the DSA with scientific expertise and evidence. ECAT hosted two roundtables in the autumn of 2024 with experts on topics ranging from eye health and sleep to body image and self-harm. The discussions focused on reviewing the scientific evidence relating to online platforms, and providing some recommendations for parents, educators and platforms.

The present report summarises the discussions, split into two main themes: the impact of social media use and screen time on the mental health and physical health of minors.