MOSCOW, 16 April 2026. The VCIOM Analytical Center presents the findings of a survey examining Russians' views on the impact of social media on children and adolescents.

From recommendations to bans

In recent years, the regulation of children's and adolescents' access to social media has increasingly become a matter of legislation in many countries. Australia was the first to introduce a nationwide ban on social media use for those under 16 (the law was passed in 2024 and came into force in 2025). Indonesia followed a similar, though less restrictive, approach by limiting access to social media for children under 16. In several other countries, similar measures are under active consideration, with some restrictions already in place.

Australia's reforms have gained support across Europe. In France, a bill banning social media use for children under 15 has already been approved, while Ireland is introducing an age-verification system through a government-developed app. Greece is also close to restricting social media access for children under 15 using a national age-verification app. Spain is preparing similar restrictions for adolescents under 16, and comparable measures have been introduced or are under discussion in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, and the United States (in particular states).

Although the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution on banning social media use for under-16s, countries have taken different approaches, with the overall trend pointing toward tighter restrictions. The Australian model is unlikely to be widely replicated; many countries are more likely to pursue stronger controls rather than a full ban. Public support for such measures is high (77% in Australia, 73% in France, including 67% among teenagers, and 74% in the UK).

What about Russia?

Unlike some Western countries, Russia is not considering a full ban on social media for children and adolescents, focusing instead on targeted restrictions. While individual initiatives are occasionally proposed, they have not gained institutional support. Countries pursuing bans cite concerns over children's mental health, addiction, cyberbullying, harmful content, data privacy, and insufficient platform regulation.

Russians have ambivalent views on the impact of the internet and social media on children and adolescents: digital environments are seen as an integral part of socialization, with both benefits and risks. Younger generations are more likely to emphasize the positive aspects, while older groups and parents of school-age children are more critical, highlighting potential harms. Those who have no children tend to have a slightly more positive viewpoint.

Digitalization levels also matter: more urbanized environments are associated with more positive views of the internet, while smaller towns and rural areas are more likely to emphasize its potential harms.

The Internet Is a Family Matter

Russian society places responsibility for children’s and adolescents’ digital safety primarily on the family, viewing parental control rather than state regulation as the key mechanism. Having children does not significantly affect this view. This perspective is especially common among younger Russians — digital natives and millennials — while older generations are more likely to support a shared role between families and the state.

Notably, online platforms, digital companies, and schools are not perceived as key sources of responsibility, despite their significant influence on the digital environment and younger generations. This suggests that children’s online presence is viewed as part of everyday life, where the main influence comes from those closest to them and seen as authorities — their parents.

Not bans, but greater control

Despite the lack of a broadly negative view of the internet’s impact on children, most Russians support restrictive measures already implemented in other countries.

The strongest support is for filtering harmful and addictive content, as well as age verification for social media access. Parental consent for minors’ registration and limits on screen time also receive broad, though somewhat lower, support. Younger generations are more skeptical of restrictions, especially those affecting personal autonomy, such as parental approval or time limits. Men also tend to be more critical. Support for restrictions is highest among older Russians and, above all, among parents, who are more likely than those without children to support all proposed measures.

Internet 15+

If age restrictions on social media were introduced in Russia, respondents would set the minimum age at 15, on average. This is the mean across all responses, while the mode—the most frequently cited age—is slightly lower, at 14 years.  The youngest generation of respondents tends to favor a lower threshold, averaging 13 years. At the same time, a sizeable share believes access should be restricted until ages 16–18.

Despite internal differences, Russians’ views broadly align with international practice, with most favoring an age threshold in mid-adolescence, when peer interaction becomes especially important and critical thinking is generally well developed.

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‘VCIOM-Sputnik’ nationwide telephone survey was conducted on March 14, 2026. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and older. The method used was a telephone interview based on a stratified random sample drawn from a comprehensive list of mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted by socio-demographic parameters. The margin of error, with a 95% confidence level, does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, survey results may also be affected by question wording and various circumstances arising during fieldwork.

Key survey effectiveness indicators as of March 14, 2026: cooperation rate (CR) *= 0.7108; minimum response rate (MRR) = 0.0237; response rate (RR) *** = 0.0574**

Calculations are based on corporate standard:

 * CR: the ratio of completed interviews to the sum of: (a) completed interviews and (b) all non-completed interviews with respondents who confirmed that they met the sampling criteria

* CR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews and b) non-interviews with eligible respondents.

** MRR: the ratio of completed interviews to the sum of: (a) completed interviews, (b) interrupted interviews after successful screening, and (c) all respondents for whom it remained unknown whether they met the sampling criteria.

**RR is calculated in the same way as the MRR, with the only difference being that the number of respondents whose eligibility remains unknown is reduced proportionally to the share of eligible respondents among all respondents whose eligibility status (eligible or not) was successfully determined.

Author: Tatyana Smak