Gender differences in screen use
We live in a hyperconnected society. The emergence of information, communication, and relationship technologies (ICTs) has had a major impact on our society, acting as socializing agents for children and adolescents.
And it is there, on social media, where many of the so-called gender mandates are reproduced, reinforced, and disseminated: behaviors that are socially and culturally attributed to people simply for being a man or a woman. These are learned from childhood and transmitted through interaction in different social spaces: school, family, the media, and cultural elements such as film, fashion, and advertising.
Some gender mandates are:
They:
- Taking care of others.
- To be maternal, responsible, sensitive, tender, sentimental, docile.
- Prioritize the needs of others.
- To be sexually desirable.
They:
- Take risks.
- To be brave, daring.
- To exert power and control over others.
- Appear confident, astute, independent, impulsive.
- Having difficulty expressing emotions.
It's important to clarify that when we talk about sex, we're referring to the biological characteristics that define women and men, while gender refers to the roles and traits considered masculine or feminine , assigned to us based on our sex at birth. We could say that we're born with a tailor-made suit. But the term "gender" is often associated with women, when it's actually a category that applies to both sexes.
These differences extend to the use of screens and condition digital practices, which requires incorporating the recurring so-called gender perspective in the prevention and intervention of problematic screen uses .
The use of digital environments: concerns and challenges
How do girls use screens?
According to the report Childhood, adolescence and digital welfare (UNICEF, 2025), girls show a more active behavior in the use of screens: they upload more often photos, stories or choreographies and participate in viral challenges, and with a higher percentage of problematic use. This use makes them more vulnerable and carries the risk of being rejected or of suffering cyberbullying situations, and they can also become the target of sexist violence in social networks, since the boundaries between the public, the private and the intimate are practically blurred (Tisseron, 2014).
On the other hand, constant exposure to images and messages that promote an unattainable, and almost always unattainable, standard and ideal of beauty , promulgated by internet advertising and influencers and youtubers , can perpetuate feminine stereotypes and ideals, and can negatively influence their self-perception, their self-esteem, generate insecurity and cause eating disorders or emotional distress.
The differences between boys and girls in screen use are due to gender mandates: while boys are socialized towards competition and technological mastery, girls are socialized towards image and social communication.
The report also reveals a particularly interesting finding: more than half of adolescents already express a need to disconnect from digital technology to promote rest, concentration, and balance. This need is greater among girls.
How do kids use screens?
Boys are socialized to be competitive, active, and successful . This translates into more playful screen time through online gambling and video games. Gambling is not considered a feminine practice; doing so can lead to social censure, as it is associated with values defined as masculine: courage, risk-taking, and proactivity.
According to the 2024 Yearbook of the Spanish Association of Video Games (AEVI), for the first time in Spain there are more female gamers in two age groups: 25-64 and 45-64 years old, a significant finding. However, the growing presence of women has not led to a change or elimination of gender stereotypes in their representation (Santana, 2020).
Girls tend to overshare their private lives on social media as a tool for validation and recognition, and this makes them more vulnerable.
Regarding social media, they tend to be more reserved and don't overexpose their personal lives. This keeps them more protected and safe from harmful comments or negative judgments.
Regarding the consumption of pornography via the internet and digital devices, there is a significant difference between boys (57.5%) and girls (23%), according to the UNICEF report (2025). This consumption has negative consequences for children and young people, some of which are outlined in the Decalogue on the Impact of Pornography on Minors (AEPD, 202):
- It increases gender stereotypes.
- It normalizes violent sexual behavior.
- It increases risky sexual behaviors.
- It increases the levels of loneliness among teenagers.
The consumption of pornography thus becomes an informal school of sex education.
Pornography consumption and adolescence
Prevention with a gender perspective
Some educational and support recommendations with a gender perspective are (Diputació de Barcelona, 2023):
Professionals
- Having professionals trained in gender perspective.
- Address the specific risks of screen use, not from a place of blame or responsibility, and in non-mixed spaces.
- When working with families, avoid starting from standard models and the traditional distribution of roles. Consider family diversity.
- Incorporate non-binary identities by adapting materials and actions.
- With adolescents: fostering socio-emotional skills to build healthy friendships and romantic relationships, based on respect and commitment
- Encourage critical thinking.
- Review preventative materials, avoiding sexist stereotypes.
- Promote education based on gender equality and diversity.
The role of the family in screen use
Families
- Review the messages you give your children to see if they perpetuate gender roles. Don't have a double standard.
- Knowing the apps and virtual friends of sons and daughters to be a valid interlocutor.
- Reflect on your use of and posts on social media.
- Model by example.
- To assist in establishing boundaries between the public and private spheres.
- To address interest in sexuality naturally, educating in respect and diversity.
We must keep in mind the positive hidden curriculum , that is, transmit and incorporate in a natural, silent, constant and implicit way the gender perspective in all social spheres to promote and guarantee equitable and inclusive learning and education.
Significant gender disparities justify the need to adopt a gender perspective in the design of new prevention and intervention policies . This perspective, in the words of Patricia Ramírez, anthropologist and social educator, “is undoubtedly a tool for change. It will help us achieve a pluralistic, diverse society, protected from risks and challenges, and more positive and sustainable digital environments. There is no time to lose.”
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