This report investigates the digital well-being of German adolescents, examining the psychological and social consequences of daily social media engagement. Findings highlight that while platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat foster community, entertainment, and identity expression, they also frequently trigger social comparison, distraction, reduced concentration, and guilt. Nearly half of respondents express envy toward previous generations who grew up without social media. Furthermore, youth demonstrate high exposure to harmful content, particularly fake news and hate speech. The report advocates enhanced digital literacy, age-appropriate platform governance, and active youth involvement in policy decisions.
Methodology
The used a sequential mixed-methods design targeting adolescents aged 14 to 17 lviing in Germany. A Qualitative Phase 1 (Digital Diary) comprised 33 participants who logged experiences, screenshots, and audio notes via WhatsApp (Feb 26 – Mar 2, 2026). Qualitative Phase 2 (Remote Interviews) involved 20 in-depth follow-up interviews exploring individual diary entries (Mar 10 – Mar 13, 2026). The Quantitative Phase 3 (Survey) comprised 800 participants surveyed online, providing nationally representative insights across gender, age, and school types.
Country or region of researched population
Germany
Citation
Medienpädagogischer Forschungsverbund Südwest. (2026). JIMplus 2026: Digitales Wohlbefinden von Jugendlichen in Deutschland. mpfs.
Record created:
21 July 2026
This report investigates the digital well-being of German adolescents, examining the psychological and social consequences of daily social media engagement. Findings highlight that while platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat foster community, entertainment, and identity expression, they also frequently trigger social comparison, distraction, reduced concentration, and guilt. Nearly half of respondents express envy toward previous generations who grew up without social media. Furthermore, youth demonstrate high exposure to harmful content, particularly fake news and hate speech. The report advocates enhanced digital literacy, age-appropriate platform governance, and active youth involvement in policy decisions.
Methodology
The used a sequential mixed-methods design targeting adolescents aged 14 to 17 lviing in Germany. A Qualitative Phase 1 (Digital Diary) comprised 33 participants who logged experiences, screenshots, and audio notes via WhatsApp (Feb 26 – Mar 2, 2026). Qualitative Phase 2 (Remote Interviews) involved 20 in-depth follow-up interviews exploring individual diary entries (Mar 10 – Mar 13, 2026). The Quantitative Phase 3 (Survey) comprised 800 participants surveyed online, providing nationally representative insights across gender, age, and school types.
Country or region of researched population
Germany
Citation
Medienpädagogischer Forschungsverbund Südwest. (2026). JIMplus 2026: Digitales Wohlbefinden von Jugendlichen in Deutschland. mpfs.
Record created:
21 July 2026- digital well-being social media
