Research

The last decade has seen an unprecedented rise in digital communication, reshaping how young people interact, learn, and see themselves. Alongside these opportunities, mental health concerns linked to social media have also grown. PROMISE addresses this complex reality by investigating how policies, design decisions, and online environments influence youth well-being. 

Funded by CHANSE, PROMISE is a three-year, five-country research initiative that brings together international experts from psychology, media studies, sociology, and communication. 

Together, we aim to generate clear, evidence-based recommendations that support healthier, more inclusive digital spaces for the next generation. 

The PROMISE approach:

  • Interdisciplinary
  • Evidence-based
  • Youth-centered

From Understanding to Action

PROMISE employs a unique, interdisciplinary research framework to uncover what works - and what doesn’t - in current social media policy. Our five work packages combine literature synthesis, qualitative focus groups, experimental design testing, computational modeling, and cross-European policy analysis. 

This approach allows us to explore the experiences of young people from diverse cultural contexts and identify interventions that make a measurable difference. As results emerge, we will share open-access reports, toolkits, and policy briefs designed to inform decision-makers, educators, and platform developers. 

Work Packages

WP1: Scoping Review of Policy Proposals (lead: Germany; co-lead: UK)

WP1 systematically maps current policy proposals aimed at improving young people’s well-being through regulating social media use or redesigning platforms, including academic publications, reports, advocacy documents, and early legislation. Key policies for investigation include platform accountability (e.g., DSA risk assessments), usage restrictions (age limits, phone bans), design changes (removing likes), and content filtering (self-harm, challenges, eating-disorder content). 

To ensure feasibility, the review covers proposals from researchers, public institutions, NGOs, and advocacy groups in the EU, UK, and USA. The primary WP1 output will be a conceptual synthesis organizing fragmented policy interventions and identifying where evidence exists or is missing and will establish the foundation for WP2 – WP5 investigations. 

WP2: Qualitative Exploration (lead: Estonia; co-lead: Spain)

WP2 explores how young people perceive potential policy interventions identified in WP1. Using focus groups across three age groups and five countries (Austria, Estonia, Germany, Spain, UK), we will examine their views on enhancing positive social media use and mitigating harm.  Groups (6–8 participants) will be gender-balanced, and youth-friendly interviewing techniques (storytelling, visuals) will ensure developmental appropriateness. The selected instruments will be co-designed with the Youth Advisory Board and piloted in Estonia. 

WP2 delivers authentic youth perspectives, identifying general and age/country-specific themes that inform subsequent WPs and help align policies with lived experiences. 

WP3: Interventions (lead: Austria; co-lead: Germany) 

In a field experiment using a digital platform, WP3 tests how social media design interventions – derived from WP1 proposals and youth input from WP2 - – affect young adults’ well-being. This WP focuses on platform functionality and policy redesign (e.g., adjusting features, algorithms). 

Our goal is to collect pre/post measures, experience sampling, and objective behavior logs to evaluate markers of well-being.  

 

WP4: Computational Simulation (lead: UK; co-lead: Austria)

WP4 applies computational modeling to WP3 behavioral data to uncover mechanisms behind social media use and simulate broader outcomes. Using Reinforcement Learning (RL) and Bayesian models, we will estimate latent cognitive parameters such as reward sensitivity, habit strength, and responses to uncertainty. 

Models will assess posting, liking, and viewing behaviors, plus subjective experience data to allow for assessment of how interventions change behavioral tendencies. The goal of WP 4 is to identify individual differences in susceptibility to positive or negative effects and evaluate intervention impact. 

WP5: Policy Analysis & Recommendations (lead: Spain; co-lead: Estonia, UK)

WP5 integrates findings from all WPs to evaluate cultural, social, and regulatory factors shaping young people’s social media well-being. We will produce evidence-based policy recommendations for Europe, identifying both EU-level and national-level best practice strategies. Collaboration with partner NGOs ensures relevance to diverse cultural contexts. 

We will assess existing European policies given WP1 evidence gaps and incorporate youth perspectives from WP2.  

WP5 translates research into actionable, context-sensitive policies supporting healthy online experiences for preteens, adolescents, and young adults.