Global survey finds 73% back social media ban for under-14s

A large majority of people worldwide support banning children under 14 from social media, according to a global study covering 31 countries.

The Ipsos Education Monitor 2026 found that 73% of respondents back prohibiting under-14s from using social media, and that the measure commands majority support in 30 of the 31 countries surveyed. Alongside that, 59% said online spaces are not safe for young people.

The study, published by the research company Ipsos, also asked about other pressures on young people and about technology in schools. It recorded mental health as the leading concern for young people, with a divided picture on artificial intelligence in the classroom and a marked gap in optimism about the future between emerging and mature economies.

Rising support for a ban

Support for restricting children's access to social media has grown since the study was last run. Ipsos reported that backing for the under-14 ban has increased in every country surveyed since 2024 except two: Chile and Thailand.

The survey distinguished between technologies seen as harmful and those viewed as useful for learning and opportunity. While three quarters of respondents favoured keeping under-14s off social media, only 39% on average thought artificial intelligence should be banned in schools.

Mental health tops the list of worries

When respondents were asked to name the most important problem facing young people, mental health came first, identified by 33%. The country's economy followed at 31%, then the effects of social media and technologies such as artificial intelligence at 30%, poverty and inequality at 29%, and the accessibility and availability of housing at 25%.

The findings on children's mental health were reinforced by a broader measure of how young people are coping: 48% of respondents said young people in their country have poor mental health.

A gap in optimism about the future

The study also described differences in how societies expect young people to fare. In many emerging economies, respondents expressed strong confidence that today's young people will have a promising future and a better life than earlier generations. In several mature Western economies, that confidence was considerably weaker.

On education, the survey found that in 29 of the 31 countries, people were more likely to recommend that young people attend university first before entering the labour market. On average, 53% considered university degrees to offer good value for the cost.

Argentina's shifting concerns

In Argentina, respondents pointed to the economy as the key challenge for young people, with 49% naming it, a figure that rose 25 percentage points compared with the previous year.

"In Argentina, the economy positions itself as the main challenge facing young people," said Martín Tanzariello, director of Marketing and Communication at Ipsos Argentina. "Half of respondents identify it as a key concern," he added.

The study was published on 13 October 2026. Ipsos fielded it across 31 countries, measuring public attitudes to young people's access to social media, artificial intelligence in schools, mental health and the wider prospects for the next generation.

For readers asking what this means for them, our guides cover how a social media harm claim works, the court cases we report and the case against the platforms.