The study was based on responses from 2,849 schoolchildren aged between 10 and 20 at 22 educational centers in Aragon and shows differences between boys and girls. Problematic consumption affects 14.6% of boys, compared with 3.1% of girls.
DIGITAL EXPOSURE BEGINS EARLIER AND EARLIER
The report puts the average age at which minors receive their first mobile phone at 11.4 years. Some 47.7% of fifth- and sixth-grade primary school students already have their own phone, a figure that rises to 93.8% among first-year secondary school students.
The study's authors warn that early exposure to the digital environment may encourage problematic use and affect the well-being of children and adolescents. The document calls for greater involvement from families, schools, institutions and technology companies.
At home, 54.7% of parents regularly talk to their children about the risks of the internet, while 49% set limits on the time spent using mobile phones, the internet or social media.
UNICEF CALLS FOR GREATER PROTECTION FOR MINORS
UNICEF Spain and its partner organizations are calling for stronger digital education, improved protection for minors from harmful content and greater accountability from technology platforms.
In this regard, UNICEF Spain has launched the 'Safe Algorithm Now' campaign, calling for age-verification systems and more transparent and secure algorithms to reduce children's and adolescents' exposure to content that could harm their physical or mental health.
