When my 9-year-old excitedly shows me her latest creation – mini "blind bags" inspired by a YouTube craft tutorial – I’m reminded of the creativity digital platforms can unlock. Yet, just days earlier, my WhatsApp groups were buzzing with petitions to ban social media for kids under 16. As a parent and a digital professional, I see both sides. But is banning really the answer?

Like many parents, I grapple with the desire to shield my children from the pitfalls of the online world - cyberbullying, misinformation, and the pervasive pressure of social validation. At the same time, I recognise the undeniable spark of joy, learning, and creativity that digital platforms can ignite. 

Following Australia’s social media ban announcement, concerns have reached a fever pitch, fueled by books like The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and the watershed moment that Netflix drama Adolescence has provoked. We’ve even seen comparisons between social media’s harm and the cancer risk of smoking. Given this backdrop, it’s understandable that many find comfort in the idea of a blanket ban. 

Potential for positive digital engagement

Whilst acknowledging online risks, we must also recognise the immense potential for positive digital engagement. Digital experiences are not monolithic - they can be both harmful and beneficial, depending on how they’re used. I can see this clearly with the experiences of my own children. My daughter transforms digital inspiration into real-world creativity, while my son builds elaborate worlds in Minecraft, a game often dismissed as mere entertainment but which actually enhances problem-solving and creativity.

Conflation between screen time and harm

Part of the problem is a growing conflation between screen time and harm per se. The conventional narrative often paints it as inherently harmful, but we shouldn’t let fear and an emotional reaction cloud the reality. A study from the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) found “no evidence screen time is negative for children’s cognitive development and well-being.”

This is, of course, not to say that children should be left zombified in front of screens, but as another report from the Digital Youth report highlights, the focus should be on quality and context of screen time rather than arbitrary restriction on duration. Shifting from passive consumption to active engagement is key. The report’s author, Sonia Livingstone, also questions the effectiveness of outright bans. 

However, just allowing a continuation of a permissive status quo is also not the answer and it is important to shine a light on social media's many dark corners. So, how can we strike the right balance in educating the next generation? Here are a few strategies.

1. Strengthening safety standards

Rather than banning platforms outright, we need stronger safety measures. Many of these platforms have been slack at prioritising this in the past. But we are now belatedly seeing more proactive moves from tech platforms like Meta, with Instagram tightening restrictions on teen use with more built-in protections and parental supervision features.  

Age assurance technology also offers a promising way to balance safety with accessibility. However, we must ensure tech giants commit more of their vast profits toward better policing of harmful content and empowering parents with robust controls.

2. Promote digital literacy for parents and children

Digital literacy and education are crucial. This means teaching children online safety, critical thinking, and responsible behaviour while also educating parents to better support their children’s online journeys. Encouragingly, many schools are taking the initiative here with joint parent and child digital workshops. An IT education company called Eduthing recently led a 'Supporting Families in the Digital Age' session at my children's school, which I found particularly effective. Instead of separate lectures for parents and children, the session was a collaborative discussion on online safety.

We also need to provide parents with educational tools to support them. Organisations like Internet Matters offer practical guides for parents and carers whose children are using social media platforms. The speed of digital change requires greater collaborative effort from organisations, governments, and platforms to responsibly guide society's response.

3. Encouraging productive digital experiences

As every parent knows, simply saying no often backfires. Instead of the stick of bans, we should look at the carrot of encouraging more positive online behaviour. Gamification is a promising incentive. Apps like Duolingo for Kids, turned language learning from a chore to an adventure for my children before a trip to Spain, tapping into their natural competitiveness. The interactive games made acquiring basic vocabulary an enjoyable experience. Similarly, Scratch, a beginner-friendly coding app introduced to my children through school, has sparked their creativity and problem-solving skills by allowing them to create interactive stories and games. These tools demonstrate the power of proactive over passive experiences.

4. Leading by example

If we want children to develop healthy digital habits, we must model them too. Too often, parents fall into the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ trap - spending hours on their own devices whilst enforcing strict limits on their kids. But equally showing that digital experiences should not be solitary endeavors. 

We have lots of family game nights playing Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch. These are good for bonding and create fun, shared memories. Despite me mainly losing! These experiences encourage interaction, communication, and healthy competition. Moreover, engaging in digital activities alongside our children allows us to guide them and model responsible digital behaviour.

Finding a sustainable path forward

We cannot simply switch the internet off, nor should we. Digital platforms, like life itself, present a mixture of light and shadow. Rather than fearing technology, we should focus on shaping it into a force for good.

Social media’s once-hidden risks are now coming to light. This is a necessary and welcome shift. But our role as responsible adults and parents is not to shield children from the online world. It is to equip them with the tools, resilience, and knowledge to navigate it wisely.