Protecting children online: Professor from the University of Krems advises the EU

Professor Christoph Pieh, Head of the Department for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the University for Continuing Education Krems, has been appointed by the European Commission to its Special Panel on Child Safety Online. The high-level expert panel advises the European Commission on measures to strengthen the safety of children and adolescents in the digital environment.

The panel brings together scientific, regulatory, and policy perspectives to develop recommendations for improving the protection of young people online. Its work focuses on topics including the impact of social media and the broader digital environment on mental health, as well as legal frameworks and potential European approaches to age restrictions and digital safety standards.

For the panel’s third meeting in June, Christoph Pieh, Professor of Psychosomatic Medicine and Health Research, was invited to Brussels. With his expertise at the intersection of mental health, digitalization, and evidence-based research, Pieh contributes important scientific perspectives to the European debate on the safety of children and adolescents in the digital sphere. 

“Being invited to join this expert panel highlights the international visibility of our research on the effects of digital media on mental health,” says Pieh. “Particularly for children and adolescents, it is essential to assess both the opportunities and risks of digital technologies on a sound scientific basis and to derive evidence-based recommendations for action.”

Less screen time, better well-being

Recent research conducted at the University for Continuing Education Krems provides important insights in this regard. A study led by Pieh and recently published in the journal BMC Medicine found that reducing smartphone use to less than two hours per day can lead to a significant improvement in mental health.

The study demonstrated a clear causal relationship between smartphone use and psychological well-being. These findings were recently reinforced by the FM4 Screentime Challenge, which was scientifically evaluated by the University for Continuing Education Krems. After just three weeks of reduced smartphone use, participants reported significant improvements in sleep quality, stress levels, overall well-being, and depressive symptoms.