The BootstrApp was developed exclusively and based on scientific findings for the Boosting Societal Adaptation and Mental Health in a Rapidly Digitalizing, Post-Pandemic Europe (BootStRaP) study (https://www.internetandme.eu/). The BootStRaP study is a Europe-wide study uniting scientists from 14 European countries—Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Gibraltar, Estonia, Portugal, Hungary, and Lithuania—as well as Australia and Israel— and 22 institutions. The study wants to understand young people’s internet use better and identify why some young people find it difficult to use the internet safely. The results of the current observational study will be used to develop a future smartphone app promoting healthier and safer ways to use the internet and improve mental well-being. We will also advise European policymakers on how to implement improved protection of young people’s internet use.

The BootStRaP study will be conducted in nine countries - the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Lithuania, and Switzerland - and has been approved as an ethically safe study by Institutional Review Boards in each country. Young people aged 12-16 at involved schools will use the BootstrApp to participate in the study for 6 months after they and their parents have given informed consent. The BootstrApp will collect young people’s answers to questions on internet use, mental and physical health, how they think, behaviours, and play online games. Data will also be collected on phone use and activity over a 6-month period. Individual feedback and a participation certificate are provided within the app at the end of the study. All data collected via the BootstrApp is transferred to secure European servers using encrypted transmission, ensuring the highest standards of data protection and privacy. The privacy of our BootstrApp users is important to us, please find more information regarding our privacy policy here: https://www.internetandme.eu/privacy-policy/.

Note: The BootstrApp can be used free of charge. The normal data usage fees may apply when using the app. Check with your provider for more information if necessary.

Funding:
1. This work was funded by the European Union (BootStRaP project grant number: 10108238). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
2. This work was supported by UK Research and Innovation program (the University of Cambridge project number: 10077671, the Euro Youth Mental Health project number: 10082693, the University of Hertfordshire project number: 10075008, the University of Southampton project number: 10075760). UK Research and Innovation accepts no liability, financial or otherwise, for expenditure or liability arising from the research funded by the Grant except as set out in these Terms and Conditions, or otherwise agreed in writing.
3. This work has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).