ISLAMABAD: Parents around the world are worried about how to protect their children from social media.
The psychologist Jonathan Haidt started a revolt in 2024 with his book claiming young brains are being rewired. Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation, which investigates how the shift from free play to smartphones has disrupted children’s development, became an instant bestseller.
Under-protected children
According to an interview published on The Times, Haidt argues that we have sleepwalked into a catastrophe and are “overprotecting children in the real world while under-protecting them in the virtual world”, with dire consequences.
Around the world concerned parents and even governments are organising in an attempt to disentangle the smartphone from childhood. Haidt’s work has quickly become a founding document of this counter-revolution.
“Grenade in their pockets”
“My now 20-year-old son says it was “normal” in Year 9, when he turned 14, to gather around a phone to watch beheadings during break. I’m almost levitating with rage because we didn’t understand that our kids had a grenade in their pockets,” says Caroline Scott, a writer and a parent, according to The Times.
Last year, a report from NHS England found that one in five children and young people aged 8 to 25 had a “probable mental disorder”. Meanwhile, sextortion – blackmail where criminals threaten to share pictures and videos of their victims – has rocketed.
“By next September tens of millions of children around the Western world will have smartphone-free schools which are known to promote more laughter, learning and friendship. A hyper-empowered and implacable army of mums around the world has risen up,” Haidt says.
Distorting self-worth
In a post on officialherd, Jonathan Haidt can be seen arguing, “Don’t let your children go through puberty on social media. Those transformative years are challenging enough without the added pressure of likes, filters, and endless comparisons. Puberty is a time for growth, self-discovery, and learning who they are—not who the internet tells them to be. Social media can distort self-worth, influence their values, and expose them to harmful content before they’re ready to process it. By keeping them off these platforms, you’re giving them the freedom to develop their confidence, build genuine relationships, and embrace their true selves without the pressure to perform or conform.”
“Guard their innocence”
“As parents, it’s our responsibility to guard their innocence and guide them through this delicate stage of life with intention and love. Let’s prioritize connection, meaningful experiences, and a safe environment that fosters growth and resilience over the fleeting allure of social media,” he suugests.
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Online predators
According to a report published on The Star, predators are finding new ways to reach children online. They build trust by posing as friends, offering gifts, or using threats to manipulate and control. Predators often target kids through games, social media, and private chats – encouraging secrecy to keep parents in the dark, it said.
