Well-being in the digital age

Before the pandemic, children across the EU spent more and more time online. Owning a smartphone has become common and most teenagers have access to a laptop. A study on children’s online habits in the EU (Smahel et al., 2020) found that going online is now an integral part of the lives of most children. While the use of technology and internet can bring many benefits to children’s everyday life and education, extensive and irresponsible use of technologies and internet may negatively affect children’s well-being. With the use of the internet increasing to unseen levels during the pandemic, it has become urgent to maximise the benefits and minimise the risks of children’s use of internet. In January 2023, there were 5.18 billion internet users worldwide, and 4.8 billion social media (Statista, 2023).