SpaceTeen

Excessive use of social media by young people is a major societal issue. Many adolescents want to reduce their screen time, but the design of popular platforms works against them. Parents, teachers, researchers, policymakers—and young people themselves—agree: action is needed. Legislation is slow to arrive, social media companies feel little urgency to change their design principles, digital self-control tools prove ineffective, and young people are rarely involved in shaping their online environments.

Although the problem of (excessive) social media use is widely recognized and high on the public agenda, solutions remain elusive. We are at an impasse. SpaceTeen aims to break through this deadlock through fundamental research, practical design solutions, and broad collaborations. The goal: to mobilize both youth and stakeholders, helping adolescents regain control over their attention and time while continuing to participate fully in the digital society.

The long-term vision of SpaceTeen is a digital environment where young people have access to responsibly designed social media platforms. On the way to that future, we invest in effective self-control tools tailored to youth, in promoting balanced media use as the norm, in design research into offline alternatives to screen use, and in expanding knowledge of how social media platforms influence behavior.

The success of SpaceTeen depends on close collaboration between the creative industries and academia—and on actively integrating the perspectives of young people. The knowledge gained on these two central challenges will be carefully documented. The project is geared toward a transition to a more balanced digital environment for adolescents, guided by value-driven design principles. Young people take a central role—not just as a target group, but as active co-creators of the future.

Over the next two years, the general public will be able to follow the project behind the scenes through the SpaceTeen website and access the insights we develop. This will include ScrollCon in 2026 and 2027—a combination of public events, research, and expert sessions. Findings will also be shared through the ScrollReports, which feature the latest research outcomes and design interventions.