On the heels of the Summit for our second U.S. Council for Digital Well-Being in Santa Monica, we gathered at our London office for the first capstone event and graduation ceremony for our inaugural European cohort.

The public event brought together our European teen council members and their parents and chaperones, alongside more than 40 external stakeholders, including representatives from regulatory bodies, government entities, safety NGOs, and members of Snap’s Safety Advisory Board. It marked the culmination of an impactful, yearlong journey focused on elevating youth perspectives, informing product thinking, and driving multi-generational dialogue about online safety and flourishing in a digital-focused world. 

Elevating Youth Perspectives & Key Insights

Throughout the event’s panels and breakout sessions, teens shared candid reflections on their digital lives. They noted how central online spaces are for maintaining real-life friendships, learning, and personal growth, and offered valuable perspectives on current multi-sector discussions around platform access. 

The group also shared helpful insights into the online behaviors and habits of young people – from everyday peer interactions to how they resolve conflict – and even how they leverage safety resources and tools. Such conversations reinforce how essential it is to make (and keep!) safety mechanisms intuitive and aligned with how teens actually communicate. 

When exploring safety dynamics, members offered fascinating context on how teens navigate online issues. They noted that everyday peer conflicts are often handled through direct, personal communication, whereas formal safety tools play a distinct role in addressing more unexpected interactions with strangers.

International Synergies

Despite differing regulatory environments in Europe and the U.S., Council members on both sides of the Atlantic share a remarkably similar approach to online safety: they want open dialogue and practical tools, not blanket bans, prohibiting connection and communication. At Snap’s Council for Digital Well-Being events in both regions, teens strongly pushed back against complete social media bans, warning that cutting off access hurts friendships, schoolwork, and personal growth. Instead, they asked for intuitive reporting tools that account for whether an issue involves a close friend or a stranger, alongside more open communication at home – requesting that parents appreciate how they use their phones, all while working together to set healthy boundaries. Finally, they stressed that digital well-being goes beyond individual tools, encouraging platforms to continuously cultivate positive online environments, aiming to ensure those remain safe, supportive, and constructive for everyone.

Ultimately, these parallel insights demonstrate that effective digital well-being strategies turn less on geography and more on empowering youth through simple and effective tools and resources, considered platform design, and empathetic constructive dialogue.

We are deeply grateful for the insights, dedication, and time of our cohort members and graduates and can’t wait to see them continue to flourish and deliver positive impact.