The NMHH launched its large-sample, nationally representative survey series in 2017, involving 2,000 children and 2,000 parents, in order to assess the media use habits of Hungarian children aged 7–16 and their parents’ knowledge, attitudes and digital parenting strategies. The first data collection was carried out in 2017, the second in 2020, and the third in late 2024 and early 2025. The latest findings reveal the challenges of digitally aware parenting, and provide information for families seeking to establish more media-literate habits.

The Hungarian-language survey shows that children are entering the digital world at younger and younger ages. On average, they receive their first phone at the age of nine, and nearly one in three children will receive their first mobile phone almost as soon as their first schoolbag. The emergence of mobile devices in the pre-school age group is also noticeable, with 7% of children surveyed already using a mobile phone at the age of 4–6. Almost a third of 7–8 year olds and nearly two thirds of 9–10 year olds have their own phone, and this proportion is over 80% for 11–12 year olds.

Much like the use of digital devices, social media presence is also starting at an increasingly young age. On average, children register on a social media platform at the age of 11, and by the age of 15, all minors have a registered profile on at least one platform. Children spend a significant proportion of their free time in front of screens, and this time is increasing year-on-year: 9–16 year olds, average 2 hours of screen time on weekdays and 3.5 hours on weekends, while 15–16 year olds can average over 4 hours a day.

The study’s findings also indicate that parental vigilance can reduce children’s exposure to online risks, and that family rules on digital device use can also make their online presence safer. This is necessary, as 10% of children automatically accept friend requests from strangers on social media, while in families with pre-defined rules for managing their social media profile, only 3% of children will do so without thinking.

Among the various digital services, artificial intelligence is now very much a part of children’s lives: 72% have heard of AI, and one in two secondary school students have used some kind of AI service. The study’s results also show that children hold more positive views about using AI than their parents do.

In the video below, Árpád Varga, Head of the NMHH’s Media Literacy Division, discusses the findings of the study. The video may be freely embedded and used.