Latest findings reveal families are seeking practical guidance to set digital guardrails as children spend more time navigating social feeds, short-form videos, and emerging AI tools.
FEBRUARY 10, 2026 — Today, Qustodio, part of the Qoria group, released its 2025 Annual Data Report, Lost in the Scroll: Parenting the Algorithms, Apps, and AI Shaping Childhood, examining how children around the world are using technology – and how parents are responding as digital experiences become more immersive, interactive, and driven by algorithms.
Now in its seventh year, the annual report analyzes children’s digital usage amid growing public scrutiny, regulation, and widespread conversation around children’s use of social media, gaming, and AI-powered tools. As parents grapple with conflicting messages – from the benefits of digital detoxes to the unprecedented potential of AI tools – Lost in the Scroll examines how children are actually spending their time online (app usage across online video, social media, communication apps, education, gaming, and AI bots) and families and schools’ reactions to their increasing usage.
“Technology is no longer passive – it talks back, leads discourse, entertains, educates, and yes, even sometimes misleads,” said Teodora Pavkovic, Director of Wellbeing and Parent Advocacy, Qustodio. “This most recent data indicates that parents are being asked to manage far more than screen time – they are parenting feeds, algorithms, and AI tools in the middle of growing concern and scrutiny. Families desire clear, practical guidance to stay present and support their children’s healthy digital development.”
Algorithms are increasingly shaping children’s digital experiences
The comprehensive study is based on anonymized app and web data collected from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, from more than 400,000 families with children aged 4–18 globally, alongside insights from 10,000 schools across the United States (U.S.), United Kingdom (U.K.), and Australia. In addition, Qustodio surveyed 1,361 parents using controls and digital wellbeing tools across six countries (U.S., U.K., France, Spain, Brazil, and Australia) to better understand how families are using parental controls, where they feel concerned, and how they are introducing guardrails in a connected age.
Some key findings from the 2025 report include:
- U.S. children spend more time on short-form video than peers in other countries, with TikTok users averaging more than 2.5 hours per day, making it the most time-intensive platform analyzed.
- Roblox playtime in the U.S. remains among the highest globally, with children spending over 2.5 hours per day on desktop gaming, highlighting the social and immersive nature of gaming environments.
- Despite its popularity, Roblox was the most blocked mobile gaming app among U.S. parents in 2025, reflecting growing concern among parents around social interaction, in-game chat, and exposure to inappropriate content.
- YouTube remains a dominant “always-on” feed for U.S. kids, who watched nearly twice as much YouTube as children in Spain, averaging 86 minutes per day.
- U.S. parents are introducing digital guardrails earlier, with most first using parental controls between ages 10 and 12, often when children receive their first smartphone.
- AI use is becoming mainstream among children globally, with nearly one-third of kids using AI tools in 2025 – most commonly for homework support, but increasingly for advice and conversation.
- Online safety concerns remain high, with 64% of children having received a message containing potential harassment in the past year, underscoring why many parents are turning to monitoring and early guardrails.
- Concern about AI over-reliance is particularly high among parents, with 76% citing dependence on AI tools as their top worry, followed by concerns about misinformation and academic cheating.
The report also captures parents’ firsthand reflections on navigating children’s digital lives. One U.S. parent surveyed shared, “History is being re-written nowadays, misinformation is everywhere, AI is giving answers as if there were a new truth, what are the sources, how is this truth worthy. Children don’t know how to challenge AI for the real answers.”
The annual report’s findings suggest that families aren’t looking to disconnect their kids from technology, but rather they want practical guidance to stay present, set age-appropriate guardrails, and help children build healthy habits in a world that’s always on.
“This report reflects the reality of U.S. families right now — children’s digital lives are evolving faster than the rules and guidance around them,” said Viktorija Miliajeva, CEO of Qustodio. “Fear-based reactions and one-size-fits-all solutions may dominate the conversation, but they don’t reflect how families actually live. At Qustodio, we believe progress comes from pairing data with practical guidance, and knowledge with presence, so parents can protect their children while still allowing them to learn, connect, and grow.”
In addition to its data analysis, Lost in the Scroll integrates expert-led guidance, offering parents clear, actionable support on topics such as introducing a child’s first phone, managing short-form video habits, navigating in-game chat, and understanding AI companions. For more information and to access the full study, visit: Lost in the Scroll: Parenting the Algorithms, Apps, and AI Shaping Childhood.
About Qustodio
Qustodio is the world leader in online safety and digital wellbeing for families. Since 2012, the company has delivered a cross-platform solution for families and schools, helping over 9 million families protect children from online harm, while promoting healthy digital habits and awareness. Available in over 180 countries in 8 languages, Qustodio’s digital wellbeing tools help families live and navigate smarter in an increasingly connected world. In 2022, Qustodio became part of the Qoria group, protecting every child’s digital journey through a world-class collaboration between schools, parents, and educators in cyber safety. Visit www.qustodio.com for more information.
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