Switzerland’s legislators have already started to address the question of whether children should have access to social media sites, but what does the country’s population think?
In February 2025, following a parliamentary motion to this effect, the Federal Council said it was ready to consider banning smartphones in class for under-16-year-olds — so they can’t access social media sites — given the risks to the health and concentration abilities of young people.
The government based its readiness to implement this measure on research suggesting that following TikTok, Instagram and other social media on their smartphones disrupts the development of children and adolescents, also damaging their mental health as well as limiting their ability to learn.
In fact, since the introduction of smartphones (and therefore access to social media), rates of depression, anxiety disorders, and suicidal thoughts among young people have increased sharply, research referenced by the Federal Council indicates.
While the MPs are mulling over this issue, a recent survey conducted by Sotomo research institute shows that nearly four out of five respondents to its survey focusing on this topic believe that social media sites should be banned.
What else did the survey find?
One of the reasons the vast majority of respondents (80 percent) are in favour of banning social media for under 16s is their belief that children are not sufficiently informed about the risks lurking online.
A similar percentage believed smartphones should be banned from schools altogether.
“The study clearly shows that the population wants politicians to take action,” according to the survey’s author, Michael Hermann.
For parents, the greatest dangers lie in the cyberbullying of their children.
However, only 62 percent feel capable of explaining this risk to their children, while one-third don’t know how to go about ensuring their children are not victimised.
READ ALSO: What you need to know about cyberbullying
“The digital space is developing so rapidly that parents are struggling to keep up,” Hermann said.
Another major fear among parents who responded to the survey is that young children will be exposed to sexual content or violence.
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Clear rules
Professionals recommend that parents agree on clear rules with their children regarding smartphone and social media use.
This advice is followed by 97 percent of parents, according to the survey.
But when it comes to actually enforcing the rules, it’s an entirely different story: 52 percent say the topic often causes arguments with their children.
