Miklosko: Nearly Half of Slovak Children Spend Over Four Hours a Day Online

Bratislava, 26 July (TASR) – Almost half of Slovak children (47.9 percent) spend an excessive amount of time on social media and online - more than four hours per day - according to this year's nationwide survey of children's opinions conducted by the Office of the Commissioner for Children. The survey also examined how much time children spend in the online environment. Children's Commissioner Jozef Miklosko stressed that online interaction does not replace real-life relationships. The findings were shared by Iveta Adamova from the Office of the Commissioner for Children. The survey found that 11.5 percent of children spend more than six hours daily on social media. Although this represents a slight decrease compared to the 2022 data, Miklosko considers it a deeply concerning figure. He warned that children are often unaware of the dangers linked to the digital world, including risks to their mental health. The survey also revealed that 27.3 percent of children spend less than three hours per day with their parents. "Less time spent with parents may contribute to children spending more time online," noted Miklosko. Compared to 2022, the greatest decline was seen in children's satisfaction with the number of followers they have on social media — 40 percent reported being significantly dissatisfied. "It appears that children are sensitive to online validation and comparisons," Miklosko commented. Since the survey targeted elementary school seventh-graders (aged 12–13), Miklosko pointed out that many children register on social media well before the minimum legal age. The results also suggest that online relationships fall short in terms of trust and feelings of safety. Online friendships are not as important or trustworthy to children as commonly assumed. Personal relationships, particularly with family and real-life friends, remain crucial. "Children feel the least safe with online friends — only 11.3 percent reported feeling secure. When it comes to sharing personal issues, only 6.1 percent would turn to online friends, compared to 77 percent who would confide in real-life friends," Miklosko summarised. The commissioner expressed concern about how children perceive online threats. According to the survey, children feel least threatened by mobile phones and the internet — only 29 percent fear cyberbullying, and 28 percent consider the internet and mobile devices as threats. "This is despite the fact that these are precisely the platforms where significant psychological and social risks occur, including bullying, abuse, inappropriate content, and a negative impact on children’s mental wellbeing. Children at this age still lack the ability to fully evaluate risks or the consequences of their actions," said Miklosko. The survey also addressed the ban on mobile phones in schools. According to Miklosko, 25 percent of children see the ban as a problem, suggesting a high level of dependence on mobile technologies. A total of 1,120 seventh-graders from 67 elementary schools across Slovakia participated in the survey. The gender representation was evenly split, and data collection was conducted through electronic questionnaires in classrooms with the help of trained surveyors between November 2024 and February 2025. mf/am