ECAT Research Workshop 2025: Unpacking the impact of online platforms on minors

Last week, ECAT hosted our annual research workshop, which took place in Seville. This year, the focus was on how the youngest members of society are affected by online platforms, and we were joined by over 80 attendees to dive into this topic. 

The day began with definitively the most important perspective of all: the one of young people themselves. A group of students from Colegio Internacional de Sevilla had carried out a study based on a survey of their fellow students, to shine a light on how much time they were spending on online platforms, which ones they were using and how they felt about it. The students provided critical reflections on both the potential harms and benefits of social media as well as chatbots. They presented what they considered the most common problems, which were cyberbullying and addiction, and proposed more effective platform moderation, as well as removing potential profit incentives for addictive features.

Following the students' insights, the Workshop continued by covering a wide variety of topics. Attendees were presented with an overview of ECAT’s own work over the past year,  there were panels on social media addiction, risks associated with severe mental health challenges and the so-called ‘manosphere’, as well as a keynote on AI chatbots. Prior to the event, ECAT ran a Call for Contributions, and the 14 successful submissions were represented through posters discussed during extended coffee breaks, as well as  presentations of a smaller selection. It was an extremely rich day, providing food for thought for researchers, policymakers and platforms alike. 

One of the key messages from across sessions, was the extent to which online and offline lives are no longer separate, for adults nor for minors. This integration requires well-evidenced measures that allow young people to reap the potential benefits of the digital world, while being kept safe from harm. The event brought forward a compilation of high-quality research that can hopefully contribute to the achievement of this crucial balance.