Finnish youth survey: most oppose social media age bans

A Finnish government survey of nearly 61,000 children and adolescents found that only a quarter of younger respondents and a third of older ones support legally enforced age limits for social media use, Yle reports.

Most prefer leaving decisions to parents. Over half said they would find ways to bypass any age restrictions set above their own age.

The survey, conducted by a working group under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, asked 11–19-year-olds about potential restrictions following Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s proposal earlier this year to ban social media for under-15s.

Nearly all respondents use social media daily, with 17% of those over 13 spending more than five hours on it. Without social media, many said they would exercise and sleep more but feel lonelier and see friends and family less.

Half of younger respondents and nearly half of older ones believe parents should decide when children can use social media. Currently, about half of 11–13-year-olds have parental time or content restrictions, compared to one-fifth of those under 18.

The working group’s interim report, released Wednesday, also outlines possible measures to mitigate social media harms, including national legislation, stricter data protection age limits, or general recommendations. A separate survey for parents is planned for autumn, with final recommendations due by year’s end.