The Demonisation of Media
Finding Balance in the Screen Time Debate
Everything was scratching at my nerves: the harsh lights, the constant noise, the unspoken judgment. I’d forgotten my homework, hadn’t done my hair, and had a toothpaste stain down my sleeve. I felt like all eyes were on me, whispers behind my back. A small part of my brain knew it might not be true, but that didn’t stop it from feeling true. My best friend, my only friend, was off sick, and school without her felt like trying to breathe with less oxygen.
At breaktime, I rushed to the toilets, the only safe space left to check my phone, under the new no-phone rules. As soon as I opened Snapchat, there was Lizzie: peeking out from beneath a duvet, pulling a mock-tragic face, looking washed out and tired. “Soooooo sorry I’m not there! You’ll survive, though. I believe in you!” I smiled. Even poorly, she was thinking of me.
Then checking WhatsApp: my auntie. “Heard you’ve been feeling a bit shitty... ice cream date this weekend?” That sounded perfect. My auntie was the most relaxed adult I knew.
Just before I tucked my phone away again, I glanced at my lock screen, my little brother grinning, holding his new hamster, Simon. I took a breath. OK. Physics. You’ve got this.
We’re surrounded by headlines warning that screens are destroying young minds.
From attention issues to anxiety, speech delays to sleep loss, to risks of grooming and radicalisation, the message is clear: screen time is harmful.
“Britain faces ‘silent epidemic’ of screen harm in children, say doctors.”
– The Times
“UK police chiefs call for social media ban for under-16s.”
– The Guardian
While these headlines raise real concerns, they rarely tell the full story.
📊 More Than Just Harm
Yes, research shows correlations between excessive or disordered screen use and mental health challenges in young people.
A 2023 systematic review of 35 longitudinal studies found small but real associations between screen time and internalising symptoms like anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression.
But crucially, correlation is not causation and context and content matter.
🌀 Passive, compulsive scrolling tends to correlate with poorer well-being.
🌱 Active, social, and creative engagement can foster connection, identity-building, and resilience.
A broader scoping review from Cambridge echoes this: digital tools can both harm and help. The screen itself isn’t the issue, it’s how, why, and when it’s used.
🚲 We Don’t Ban Bicycles
Let’s be clear: I’m not dismissing the dangers.
Online harms are real: exposure to distressing content, social comparison, addictive design, and grooming. These require ongoing legislation, action and support.
But panicking, scaremongering and banning phones until age 16?
That feels like pulling the brakes too hard, too fast.
🧠 We don’t ban bicycles because someone might fall. We teach young people to ride, steer, and wear a helmet. Digital life should be no different.
We need to equip young people to:
Curate their feeds with care
Recognise unhealthy content
Identify predatory or coercive behaviours
Manage their time and attention
Know when (and how) to take a break
👨👩👧👦 Parents Need Tools Too
When I hear adults say, “I don’t understand TikTok” while their 11-year-old uploads dance videos, my alarm bells ring.
Parents don’t need to be digital specialists. But they do need to:
Set boundaries with clarity
Open up space for honest conversations
Ask questions and stay involved
Be curious, not critical
Know what their child is doing online
💛 Screens as Safe Spaces
One of the most significant factors affecting mental health is loneliness, and the internet excels at connection. Beyond staying in touch with friends, young people can access communities focused on shared identities or experiences, such as LGBTQ+ groups, neurodivergent spaces, and forums for young carers, among others. These platforms offer validation, normality, reassurance, and peer support that may be hard to find offline, especially in smaller communities.
After a long day of school, work, or managing life’s pressures, the ability to unwind by stepping into someone else’s story, or simply watching penguins waddle around, can offer welcome, light-hearted relief.
For some young people, especially those who are neurodivergent, screen use can be an important tool in grounding.
A panel by Children and Screens reported that controlled, predictable digital content can help manage overstimulation, support transitions, and reduce anxiety.
The Child Mind Institute notes that:
“Predictable screen experiences can offer emotional comfort and structure for children with autism or ADHD.”
It’s not about screen addiction - it’s about coping and regulation.
🧭 In Summary
Let’s move beyond moral panic.
Let’s support young people to navigate a digital world safely and mindfully, just as we do when they learn to ride, swim, or drive.
Let’s teach, not ban.
Guide, not shame.
💭 Reflective Thought
What would it look like if we approached young people’s digital lives with the same care, curiosity, and skill-building we offer them when they first learn to swim, ride, or drive?
Lovely to share a moment with you. 💛🍃
Until next time, Helen
Find my book at PCCS, Amazon and Waterstones.