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The digital transformation has profoundly changed the way European citizens access information, communicate, and participate in public life. In this context, child safety online emerges as one of the European Union’s top political and social priorities. The results of the Eurobarometer survey, conducted in June 2026 among a sample of 25,904 citizens from the 27 Member States, highlight widespread demand for more effective action to address the risks associated with the use of digital platforms, strengthen democratic resilience, improve European defense capabilities, and support the energy transition. Among these issues, the protection of children and adolescents in digital environments occupies a central role. The survey demonstrates that Europeans attach increasing importance to the adoption of coordinated policies at the national and European levels, recognizing that the transnational nature of digital platforms requires common strategies, shared rules, and regulatory tools capable of ensuring high standards of child protection.
THE MAIN RISKS FOR CHILDREN IN THE DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT
According to the data collected, almost all European citizens express strong concern about the multiple dangers to which children are exposed through social media. The phenomenon considered most critical is cyberbullying and various forms of online harassment, identified by 71% of respondents as the most significant risk. Close behind are the dangers of online grooming and sexual exploitation of children, which are of concern to 70% of the sample. Great attention is also paid to children’s exposure to harmful content, including violence, self-harm, and extremism, identified as a concern by 69% of participants. The same percentage highlighted fears about the misuse of children’s personal data, confirming that protecting privacy is a key element of digital safety. Concerns are not limited to the most immediately visible aspects of the online experience. Indeed, 64% of those interviewed highlighted the risk that children could be involved in illegal activities through digital platforms, while 60% highlighted the potential negative effects resulting from platform design models that can encourage excessive use and addictive behavior.
CITIZENS SUPPORT MORE STRICT EUROPEAN POLICIES
The survey highlights broad consensus for strengthening the EU’s regulatory intervention in protecting minors online. The majority of citizens believe that current measures should be complemented by more effective tools to limit children’s exposure to risks present on social media. Nearly two-thirds of respondents, equal to 63%, support the introduction of European regulations that limit minors’ access to social media platforms based on age. Within this prevailing position, 36% favor a ban on use below a certain age, while 27% favor delayed access, regulated by defined criteria. A smaller portion of the population, equal to 15%, considers it a priority to increase resources allocated to law enforcement authorities, while 13% believe it is sufficient to entrust supervision primarily to families and schools without requiring further intervention by the European Union. These results highlight how citizens recognize the value of public policies in building a safer digital ecosystem. Protecting children cannot be left solely to the individual responsibility of parents or schools; it requires a shared regulatory framework across Member States, capable of regulating digital platforms and ensuring consistent levels of protection. National policies play a fundamental role in the concrete implementation of protection measures, while European policies enable effective addressing of issues that transcend national borders.
EUROPEAN DEFENSE AND ENERGY TRANSITION
Geopolitical challenges also significantly influence citizens’ opinions. 68% of respondents agree that the European Union needs to strengthen its autonomous defense capacity against potential external threats. At the same time, the level of confidence in the EU’s ability to ensure the safety and security of its citizens is also growing: 56% of respondents express confidence in this area, an increase of four percentage points since January 2026. Finally, the survey addresses the topic of energy transition. More than half of Europeans, 56%, consider the expansion of renewable energy sources an essential tool for reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Two in five Europeans attach particular importance to energy efficiency measures, while 32% also recognize nuclear energy as a potential contribution to solving energy challenges. Rising energy prices have also led to tangible changes in citizens’ behavior. 31% say they have reduced their overall electricity consumption, 27% are monitoring their energy consumption more closely, and 26% have limited the use of heating or cooling systems. Other strategies adopted include shifting consumption to more economically advantageous time slots, a practice followed by 20% of respondents; purchasing more energy-efficient appliances, cited by 16%; comparing or changing energy suppliers or contracts, carried out by 14%; and installing, or evaluating the installation of, solutions based on renewable energy sources, also equal to 14%. Overall, the Eurobarometer results outline a European citizenship that assigns an increasingly important role to common policies in responding to today’s major challenges. In particular, children’s digital safety emerges as an area in which cooperation between European institutions and national governments is essential to ensure effective, uniform, and adequate protection in the face of the ongoing evolution of digital technologies.