Thematic dialogue on social media and children’s mental health

4 June 2026 Strasbourg (Palais de l’Europe - Room 9) and online

Social media is becoming an increasingly integral part of children’s daily lives, transforming the ways in which they communicate, learn, and interact. While platforms offer genuine opportunities for children to express themselves, engage in society, and stay informed, they also raise concerns given the risks they pose and their potential impact on children’s well-being and mental health.
The session will provide an opportunity to explore the relationship between exposure to social media and children’s well-being and mental health, and to examine policy responses aimed at mitigating risks. At a time when many countries are reviewing their legislation on children’s access to social media, the discussions will seek to identify ways to best balance the protection of children with the respect for their rights and their participation.

This event is organised by the Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child (CDENF), in co-operation with the Steering Committee for Human Rights in the fields of Biomedicine and Health (CDBIO), under the auspices of the Presidency of Monaco of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers. It contributes to the New Democratic Pact for Europe.

Concept note

Background note

Draft Programme

9:15 - 10:10

Opening and introduction

Alain BERSET, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Christophe ROBINO, Minister of Social Affairs and Health of Monaco
Elisabeth STAKSRUD, Professor, Media and Communication Department, University of Oslo
Julia (Ireland) and Rhythm (Malta), Youth Ambassadors, 5Rights Foundation

10:10 - 10:30 Coffee Break

10:30 - 12:00

Taking stock | Growing up with social media: Exploring implications for children’s mental health

The session aims to identify, describe and assess the potential effects and risks to the mental health of children and adolescents associated with the use of social media, based on current scientific evidence and experience of health professionals, and young people.

Sophia ACHAB, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre in Mental Health, University of Geneva, Medical Director, ReConnect consultation service, Geneva University Hospitals and expert for the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe on online addictions
Grégoire BORST, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychology and Neuroscience, Paris Cité University
Melanie KUHRN and Stella GOESCHL, Regional Youth Champions, Digital Transformation for Health Lab (DTH-Lab)
Markus MESCHIK, Professor, Social Sciences, University of Saint Pölten, expert for the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe

12:00 - 12:30 Q&A session

12:30 - 14:00 Lunch

offered by the Presidency of Monaco

14:00- 15:30

Formulating policy responses | Educate, support, regulate: a call for a comprehensive response

This session will explore multidimensional and complementary strategies to prevent and mitigate risks on children and ensure the safe use of social media and, more broadly, digital tools, in full respect of their human rights. The issue of age limitations will be critically considered.

Louise HOLLY, Policy and Research Coordinator, Digital Transformation for Health Lab (DTH-Lab) and Cassie REDLICH, Technical Officer, Mental Health Specialist, World Health Organisation (WHO Europe)
Martin HUSOVEC, Professor of Law, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Manon LETOUCHE, Head of EU Affairs, 5Rights Foundation
Alessandro PADOVAN, Representative, Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ) of the Council of Europe
Lisa ROBINSON, Online Safety Policy Analyst, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

15:30- 16:00 Q&A session

16:00 - 16:10 Break

16:10 - 17:40

Open floor discussion

Exchange of practices and experience sharing

Contributions of member States and partners (registration required)

17:40 - 17:45

Conclusions

Presentation of key learnings
Follow-up and future activities

17:45 - 18:30 Refreshments

offered by the Presidency of Monaco

18:30 - 20:30

Private preview screening
In-person only

Molly vs the Machines, a film by Marc Silver.
Followed by an exchange with Ian Russell and Andy Burrows, from the Molly Rose Foundation.

Moderators

Juliette Hudson Young human rights professional and youth advocate

Lindsey Higgs Facilitator and participatory designer

Speakers

Back Elisabeth Staksrud

Professor, Media and Communication Department, University of Oslo

Elisabeth Staksrud (PhD, MAE) is Professor at the Department of Media and Communication, University of Oslo, researching online censorship and freedom of expression, research ethics, and children’s rights, risks and regulation in the digital environment. She is the coordinator of the 35-country EU Kids Online network, and has previously chaired the Norwegian National Committee for Research Ethics in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (NESH), and the European Communication Research and Education Association’s Children, Youth and Media Section. She also works extensively on issues of academic freedom.

Her book “Children in the Online world: Risk, Regulation, Rights” (Routledge, 2016) deals with the balancing of media risk, problematic regulatory practices, and the pressure this puts on children’s participatory and provisional rights.