Are young Europeans tired of the digital world?

Digital burnout has become an increasingly urgent issue affecting young people’s mental health across Europe. This article examines the rise of youth digital fatigue, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw screen time surge and reported well-being decline. Drawing on empirical data from the World Health Organization, Eurofound and recent surveys, it explores how excessive online engagement correlates with deteriorating mental health outcomes among European youth. It also investigates the growing digital detox movements spanning Europe, as well as those in the US and Asia (including China’s tang ping phenomenon), as a cultural backlash against always-online lifestyles. Policy responses are considered, focusing on the present and the future of the ‘right to disconnect’ in labour law and new EU regulations such as the Digital Services Act, particularly its online age-verification measures and their limitations. The article is framed through a Christian Democratic lens which emphasises that technology needs to align with human dignity and the common good. The conclusion offers a reflection that, much like the way the post-war social market economy balanced liberalism with social justice, our digital future must balance technological innovation with mental well-being and human-centric values.