When debates about young people’s mental health turn to the role of screens and social media, it is vital to start with the evidence. Research consistently shows that the strongest influences on children and young people’s mental wellbeing are not digital technologies, but structural factors such as poverty, inequality and access to services. At an individual level, positive relationships with parents, and a nurturing, stable environment in the first years of life are critical protective factors.
That does not mean the online world is irrelevant. Recent survey data in NI shows that 87% of 11-year-olds have a mobile phone and 82% have a smart phone that provides internet access. Moderate online access, particularly where parents are aware their children’s online activity, is associated with better mental health outcomes. The initial findings from the DIORA study in UK schools show that being online is seen as having more positive effects on mental health than negative by young people. Online activity and devices can support social connection, learning and, for some, a sense of safety and belonging, which is an important protective factor. For young people, the online world is not separate from the “real” one, but an integral part of their everyday lives. They need the skills and support to exist in that space and to navigate relationships within it.
However, the evidence also points to clear risks at the extremes and young people in the DIORA study occasionally reported that their online activity was associated with loneliness and insecurity. In NI very high levels of online activity are associated with poorer mental health, and heavy social media use appears to be particularly problematic, especially for girls. By the age of 16, over half of young people have had harmful and or illegal online experiences. These patterns do not exist in isolation. They are closely linked to familiar risk factors, including poor relationships and coping skills, deprivation and wider social inequalities.
From a research perspective, one of the challenges is untangling cause and effect. It is often unclear whether excessive online activity precedes other mental health risks, or whether it emerges alongside them. What is clearer is that when high levels of online exposure interact with existing vulnerabilities, in the absence of protective factors such as supportive relationships and supervision, they can contribute to a downward spiral in wellbeing.
While robust evidence on the impact of outright bans is still emerging, parents must make decisions in the best interests of their own children, using the information currently available. Being online is now a normal part of growing up, but unrestricted, unsupervised access to the internet is undoubtedly a very bad idea. The Online Safety Bill is a step in the right direction, yet, as a parent, I believe that technology companies could do far more to support families by making parental controls simpler, more effective and easier to use, and by restricting access to harmful or inappropriate content by default.
Proposals to restrict access to social media for under-16s may be helpful, but only if introduced alongside mandatory, high-quality relationships and digital literacy education. Misogynistic abuse is widespread online, particularly affecting girls, but also impacting boys’ behaviours and attitudes. Policy responses must address that reality. Urgently implementing the relationships education element of the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy is one of the most important and effective ways to prevent online abuse, by equipping young people with an understanding of respect, consent, boundaries and healthy relationships.
Both authoritarian parenting and permissive parenting styles can be harmful to wellbeing. Experience tells us that bans alone rarely work, young people are adept at finding ways around them, whereas thoughtful, proportionate restrictions can be more effective. Listening to young people is crucial: understanding what they do online, what devices and platforms they wish to access, any disruption to sleep, and also considering the many benefits that their devices bring in terms of safety and social connection. Parenting experts highlight the benefits of having boundaries, clear limits on use of devices, which is characteristic of healthy authoritative parenting. For children and early teens, restrictions around who they can message, camera restrictions, and blocking inappropriate content is essential. It’s probably best to avoid social media (especially Snapchat and Tik Tok) which appear to carry greater risks. Ultimately, it’s really helpful for parents to know what their young person is doing online, and of course that can create tension with the adolescent need for increasing privacy. It’s a minefield for parents to navigate. For many marginalised young people their phone is a lifeline providing safety and connection and young people frequently tell us that one of their biggest fears is having their phone removed. From a suicide prevention perspective, every young person needs to be able to discuss what they have seen, and done, online (including what images they have sent or received) knowing that they will not get into “trouble”.
Shaming parents who allow their children access to digital devices is never the answer. Many families are under intense economic and time pressure. Not all have the resources to provide constant supervision or a wide range of alternative activities. Competing with sophisticated algorithms designed to capture attention is difficult for any parent. Peer relationships and acceptance are very important to wellbeing, and online connections are a vital element of this. Young people also mirror what they see around them, and many adults struggle with unhealthy patterns of device use themselves.
Policy must now move beyond simple debates about bans and blame. The Executive should prioritise investment in early relationships, mental health services and poverty reduction, fully implement relationships education as part of the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. They need to do more to hold technology companies accountable for creating safer online environments by design. Listening to young people, supporting parents, and grounding decisions in evidence offer the best chance of improving wellbeing and preventing harm, online and offline.
Link to original article: https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/comment/much-more-is-needed-to-protect-wellbeing-of-our-children-than-banning-social-media/a1324467694.html