Spain’s health authorities report persistently high levels of problematic internet use among pupils aged 14 to 18. According to the latest nationwide surveys by the Plan Nacional sobre Drogas, published in the report “Adicciones comportamentales y otros trastornos adictivos 2025”, the proportion affected is just under one fifth (around 19 to 20 per cent). The findings were presented by the Ministerio de Sanidad on 9 February 2026 and have since been widely analysed by the media and specialist organisations; the topic has been taken up again in recent summer coverage, including by regional media.
The measure covers patterns of use that disrupt everyday life – for example through loss of control, psychological distress, conflict at home or school, or declining performance – without necessarily implying a clinical diagnosis. The data come from the student survey ESTUDES 2025, in which more than 35,000 young people took part. The report distinguishes between problematic internet and social media use, and other behavioural risks such as online gambling, problematic pornography use or possible problems with video games. Girls report higher rates on several indicators.
At the same time, usage analyses by the public service broadcaster RTVE for the adult population, with daily smartphone use lasting several hours; according to the findings, those aged 18 to 24 spend around four hours or more per day on their phones. Such findings are considered context for the prevalence of low-attention everyday situations, but experts do not automatically interpret them as addiction.
The Ministerio de Sanidad and the Plan Nacional sobre Drogas derive priority tasks for prevention and treatment from the data. Plans include school programmes, training for teachers and parents, and accessible advice services in primary care. Experts cited in official documents and in media such as El País identify sleep disorders, anxiety, social tensions and learning difficulties as common effects. Prevention approaches focus on media literacy, structure in everyday digital life and early identification of risk patterns.
At the same time, the authorities urge precision in language: official summaries refer to “addiction” only cautiously. They identify “possible” problematic use on the basis of validated questionnaires; diagnosis requires individual clinical assessment. Open questions concern the longer-term effects of intensive use, the effectiveness of school-based measures, and the role of algorithmic recommendations and AI-powered services in young people’s information habits. What is clear, however, is that problematic digital use in Spain is no fringe phenomenon—and remains an ongoing political and educational issue.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).