JORDAN FACES RISING ANXIETY OVER CHILDREN’S DIGITAL WORLD

Study Finds 85% of Jordanians Concerned About the Impact of Social Media and of the Impact of AI on Children

Amman, 10 February 2026 | A national study by Analyseize Research & Insights shows widespread public concern in Jordan over children’s use of social media and artificial intelligence, alongside strong support for legal restrictions to protect children online.

Released to mark Safer Internet Day, the quantitative study finds that 90% of Jordanians support legislation restricting access to social media for children aged 15 and under, while 87% support regulating children’s use of artificial intelligence tools. The results point to broad public agreement on the need for formal regulatory frameworks to safeguard children in digital environments.

The study was conducted between 20 December 2025 and 10 January 2026 across all governorates of the Kingdom, with a nationally representative sample of 1,471 respondents.

Findings reveal a clear generational gap in how digital risks are perceived. Adults, particularly parents, tend to prioritize external and behavioral risks such as exposure to inappropriate content, online exploitation or harassment, and digital addiction. By contrast, children and adolescents focus more on internal psychological effects, including self-image, declining self-confidence driven by social comparison, and pressure linked to constant online presence. These differences highlight that adults and young people experience and assess the digital world in fundamentally different ways.

Concerns about children’s ability to use social media safely are widespread. Nearly nine in ten respondents (88%) believe children under 12 cannot use social media safely, while 86% oppose independent use by children aged 15 and under. Most respondents agree that unsupervised use should not begin until mid-to-late adolescence, with age 17 emerging as the most widely accepted threshold.

High levels of anxiety were also recorded around exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and social isolation. 85% percent of respondents expressed concern that social media weakens face-to-face relationships or increases social isolation. When asked to identify their top three risks, exposure to inappropriate content ranked first, followed by online exploitation or harassment, and addiction to smartphones and social media.

Concerns extend to artificial intelligence. More than 80% of respondents are worried about AI’s impact on children’s learning and decision-making, while 81% fear it could reduce real-world interaction or increase isolation. As with social media, adults consistently report higher levels of concern than adolescents, reinforcing a clear age-based divide in perceptions of digital risk.

At the same time, the study documents widespread and growing use of AI in everyday life. Nearly half of respondents (47%) reported using AI to seek information related to physical or mental health, while 37% said they had turned to AI for advice, emotional support, or personal guidance. Almost one in four (23%) reported using AI to express feelings they were uncomfortable sharing with others.

This trend is most pronounced among younger age groups. Four in ten respondents aged 15-24 reported using AI to express emotions, compared to just 7% among those aged 55 and above, suggesting that AI is increasingly serving as an alternative space for emotional support among youth.

Respondents clearly assign responsibility for children’s digital safety. Parents are seen as the primary line of protection, alongside a central role for schools in delivering digital literacy and awareness programs. There is also strong public support for practical safeguards, including limits on screen time and restrictions on the type of content accessible to children.

The study is part of Analyseize’s broader effort to make data and analysis more publicly accessible in support of evidence-based dialogue and policymaking. The researchers hope the findings will help move public debate beyond assumptions toward a clearer, data-driven understanding of how digital technologies are shaping children’s lives- supporting more informed decisions to protect future generations.

Click below to download the report:

AI Social Media Report_EN.pdf

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