Tackling online safety in a way that takes into account what young people actually want, with Al Kingsley.
Smartphones. Social media. AI… Media headlines present them like a high-stakes game show, “Ban or allow? Make your choice and deal with the consequences!”
However, there isn’t a binary choice on any of these issues, no matter how the media insists on presenting them. We all know that school environments and demographics are far more nuanced than that. So why are we regularly being led down the ‘ban or allow’ path? Well, it’s not with the actual issues in mind, that’s for sure. The truth is, it makes an impactful headline, prompts a reaction and drives clicks. That’s all.
Compromise is an option
We know that social media and smartphones divert attention away from the real world. Children and young people are clocking up more and more hours of screen time, with Ofcom’s latest figures showing that almost 37% of 3-5 year-olds use social media platforms and 79% of 3-17 year-olds have their own social media profile. To some adults, these are alarming figures that immediately prompt calls for a ban, without really considering the alternatives.
The good news is that some researchers are investigating a more fluid solution. A groundbreaking social media study currently taking place in Bradford is, for once, exploring the middle ground. This study of 4,000 children aged between 12 and 15 years old will assess how social media affects wellbeing and is based on restriction rather than an all-or-nothing approach. Participants will be in two groups: one will have no limits on social media use; the other will have a limit of one hour of social media per day, with a block on usage overnight. It is said to be the first trial of social media limitation in the world, with the results due to be published in 2027. This doesn’t help us right now, of course, but it’s a welcome development that will inform our decisions in the future.
What young people actually want
Despite social media being a place where friends can meet, tellingly, increasing numbers of young people themselves are asking for change. For example, the Youth Sport Trust’s Class of 2035 report reveals some interesting findings: 53% of young people say they’d like to spend less time online and more time doing other things, while 62% say they would like to be more active than they are. Additionally, 42% would like more time to be active at break and lunch times at school.
These students are also keen to do something more purposeful with technology. In fact, 52% say they would like to use it as part of their PE lessons, e.g., with smartwatches and mobile phone apps to track fitness goals. This intentional use of tech is a great way to blend the offline and online worlds – it increases their engagement in physical activities and is more meaningful than social media scrolling.
Getting active
One of the answers to reducing screen time lies in creating alternative opportunities for genuine engagement. For example, activities like drama offer connection, confidence building and self-esteem development that no screen can replicate. When students perform, create, move and collaborate in real time, they develop the essential human skills that will serve them throughout their lives – in their careers, friendship groups and personal relationships. So many benefits! And it’s striking that initiatives such as Rotherham’s Children’s Capital of Culture, a brilliant project that has been shaped by local children and young people themselves, has seen them select mostly real-life activities that don’t involve them sitting behind screens…
The economic case for increased opportunities for involvement and engagement is compelling, too. A study by Sport England found that for every £1 invested in community sport, society stands to gain up to £4.38 in social value from physical activity, as measured in improvements in wellbeing, educational outcomes and future productivity. Compare this with the increasing numbers of young people with mental health issues, the economic costs to health services, the detrimental effect to the employment market and rising welfare payments when we fail to provide such opportunities. Doesn’t it seem that we are wasting too much time debating whether to’ ban or allow’ phones and social media, when we could be talking about the financial benefits of investing in real-world activities that help everyone to moderate their tech use?
Moving forward
So what’s the way forward here? Well, blanket bans won’t work without broader consideration of the issues or any alternatives in place. While we need to work with young people to help them regulate their screen time and use of social media, education and support for parents is also needed; children aren’t the only ones using devices excessively.
At this point, banning social media and putting the onus on parents to help children reduce their screen time and focus instead on developing oracy and vocabulary does not seem particularly achievable if, a) there is no support or opportunity to be able to fill that gap, and b) they themselves are struggling to regulate their own device use. Seemingly punishing young people with restrictions when it’s the adults who are being irresponsible and creating the problems in the first place (social media tech bros, we’re looking at you) seems wholly unfair.
The world is changing at breakneck speed. If we remain stuck in the ‘ban or allow’ loop, we will be forever reacting to whatever happens next.
It’s time for us to start building tangible alternative options for human engagement (young people and adults) and give everyone genuine opportunities to create balance in their lives.
References
- Saner, E. (2026) ‘How screen time affects toddlers: ‘We’re losing a big part of being human”. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/22/how-screen-time-affects-toddlers-were-losing-a-big-part-of-being-human (Accessed: 24 February 2026)
- University of Cambridge (2026) ‘Thousands of UK schoolchildren to take part in major study of social media use and teen mental health’. Available at: http://cam.ac.uk/stories/irl-trial-social-media-study-launch (Accessed: 23 February 2026)
- Youth Sport Trust (2026) ‘Class of 2025’ Available at: https://www.youthsporttrust.org/research-listings/research/class-of-2035 (Accessed 23 February 2026)
- Theatre Train (2025) ‘Confidence in the Spotlight: Building Self-Esteem Through Theatre’. Available at: https://theatretrain.co.uk/confidence-in-the-spotlight-building-self-esteem-through-theatre (Accessed 23 February 2026)
- Children’s Capital of Culture (2026)’Rotherham is proud to be the first ever children’s capital of culture’ Available at: https://www.childrenscapitalofculture.co.uk/ (Accessed 23 February 2026)
- Sport England (2025) ‘Health, wealth and happiness – the £123bn value of activity’. Available at: https://www.sportengland.org/news-and-inspiration/health-wealth-and-happiness-ps123bn-value-activity (Accessed 23 February 2026)
