Majority of Dutch citizens support social media ban for children under 16

A majority of Dutch citizens now support banning social media use for children under the age of 16, according to the Nationaal Social Media Onderzoek 2025, the largest study on social media trends in the Netherlands. The research found that 57 percent of respondents favor raising the minimum age from 13 to 16.

Neil van der Veer, director of research firm Newcom, which conducted the study, described a "fundamental shift" in attitudes toward social media use among children under 16. “The Dutch public recognizes that young teens are not equipped to handle the harmful consequences of endless scrolling,” Van der Veer said. “This is not just a perception; our data shows a direct link between increased social media use and declining happiness.”

Support for the ban spans nearly all age groups except Generation Z, which includes individuals aged 15 to 28. Opponents of the proposed restriction argue that social media can teach young users valuable skills and that banning access would hinder their ability to safely navigate a digital world.

Proponents of the higher age limit contend that young teenagers are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of social media, including exposure to inappropriate content and the pressure to maintain an online presence. Advocates also point to improved academic performance and reduced stress when children are less engaged with digital platforms.

The push for restrictions follows a recent decision to ban mobile phones from Dutch secondary school classrooms, which took effect at the start of last year.

The research found that 6.9 million Dutch citizens believe social media poses a threat to mental health, up from 6.3 million in 2024. Meanwhile, 2.4 million users reported feeling less happy due to social media use, compared to 2.2 million last year.

Approximately 5.2 million people aged 15 and older are actively trying to reduce their time on apps.

Despite growing concerns, overall social media use in the Netherlands remains high. However, Dutch users are becoming increasingly selective about the platforms they engage with.

The most significant decline was seen on X, formerly known as Twitter. The platform lost 450,000 users in 2024, a 14 percent drop attributed to its negative atmosphere and issues with misinformation following its acquisition by Elon Musk in 2022.

The decline in the Netherlands outpaced the global trend, where X saw a 5 percent reduction in users and lost 33 million accounts over the past two years.

Threads, a competing platform, gained 270,000 Dutch users during the same period.

BeReal, a platform that encourages users to post one unfiltered photo daily, also saw its popularity among teens and young adults plummet. The app lost 600,000 users in the Netherlands last year, compounding losses from the previous year.

However, Van der Veer noted that reducing overall social media use remains a challenge. “Some trends are simply unstoppable. Learning to adapt is more effective than trying to resist them,” he said.