One in three minors in the Balearic Islands has seen pornography on the internet

PalmaMore than half of fifth and sixth-grade primary school students in the Balearic Islands have their own mobile phone. This is one of the main conclusions of the report Childhood, Adolescence and Digital Well-being in the Balearic Islands, which also reveals that one in three minors has viewed pornography online and that 14.1% show clear symptoms of emotional distress.

The study, prepared by Unicef Spain, Red.es, the University of Santiago de Compostela and the Official College of Computer Engineering of the Balearic Islands (COIIB), was presented this Monday in Parliament. The research is based on a survey of 2,657 schoolchildren between the ages of 10 and 20 from the Islands.

The data highlight the high presence of digital technologies in the daily lives of children and adolescents. Thus, 56% of students in the final years of primary school already have their own mobile phone, while 95% of adolescents participate in at least one social network.

The report also warns of the risks associated with this intensive use of technologies. According to the study, 17.5% of adolescents engage in problematic use of social networks, a situation that researchers associate with possible effects on emotional well-being and personal relationships.

Regarding video games, the percentage of young people showing signs of a possible associated disorder is 0.9%. Furthermore, the study detects that 1.9% of adolescents can be considered problematic gamblers in the context of online betting and gaming.

During the report's presentation, the scientific head of the research, Antonio Rial, emphasized the need to promote healthy use of technologies and to involve both families and educational centers in the digital support of minors. The study's conclusions paint a picture in which digitalization is part of young people's daily lives, but also highlight the need to confront the risks it entails.