They’re Stealing Our Kids’ Generation

Why We Must Take Back Control

Imagine this: You’re walking down the street with your child, and a stranger approaches them, offering candy. What do you do? Most parents would immediately step in, shield their child, and walk away. Yet, every single day, millions of children are left alone in their rooms, talking to strangers—not on the street, but on social media. We’ve spent years teaching kids to avoid danger in the real world—don’t talk to strangers, don’t accept gifts from people you don’t know, don’t wander off alone. But somehow, we’ve handed them smartphones and tablets with unrestricted access to the digital world, where predators, bullies, and harmful content lurk behind every click.

We carefully research the best schools, fret over healthy meals, and teach our kids to look both ways before crossing the road. But then we hand them a device that connects them to millions of strangers—without supervision. Companies like Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Snapchat, and TikTok have designed their platforms to be addictive, feeding children endless streams of content that often includes violence, sexual material, and dangerous trends.

A report by Common Sense Media (2022) revealed that 60% of children under 13 have been exposed to explicit content online, often unintentionally. We wouldn’t let our kids wander into an adult bookstore, yet we allow algorithms to push similar material onto their screens. Isn’t that frightening? For me, the most frightening part is that we are sitting back and letting this happen.

Children today are growing up in a world where their attention spans are shrinking, their ability to read deeply is fading, and their social skills are eroding. The average human attention span has dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to just 8 seconds. That’s shorter than that of a goldfish. Teachers report that students now struggle to read full books, instead skimming texts as if scrolling through a feed.

Even more alarming is the decline in face-to-face interaction. Children used to play outside, climb trees, build dens, play with dolls, build friendships in real time, and learn social cues through direct interaction. Now, many communicate primarily through screens. They are more connected than ever before and yet are feeling more isolated than any previous generation.

Since 2012, rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and eating disorders among children have skyrocketed. This trend was far less prevalent in the 1990s. More and more children are seriously considering suicide, with social media being a major contributing factor.

Why? Because these platforms are designed to exploit vulnerability. Instagram’s own internal research revealed that the app worsens body image issues for 1 in 3 teenage girls. TikTok’s algorithm pushes extreme dieting content to young users, while Snapchat’s disappearing messages make cyberbullying and sexting harder to track. These companies know the harm they’re causing, but to them, profits come first.

We can’t rely on tech giants to self-regulate. Meta made over $116 billion in revenue in 2022. TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, has been accused of harvesting data from minors. These corporations have no real incentive to change because their business models depend on keeping kids hooked.

Governments, meanwhile, move too slowly. While some countries (like France) have banned phones in schools, and the UK is considering stricter social media laws, enforcement is weak. The truth is, we can’t wait for politicians to act. Parents must take control.

If we want to reclaim our children’s mental health, childhood, and future, we need to make bold changes. Here’s where I believe we must start:

1. No screens before 14
The idea of a screen-free childhood may sound extreme, but the average 8-year-old now spends 4-6 hours daily on screens. Delaying smartphones and tablets until adolescence allows brains to develop without digital addiction. Countries like Sweden, where screen time is heavily restricted in early education, report higher childhood happiness and academic performance.

2. No social media until 16
Social media platforms require users to be at least 13, but this is easily bypassed. The reality is that no child under 16 has the emotional maturity to handle the pressures of likes, comments, and comparison culture. Instead, children should spend their formative years building real-world skills and friendships.

3. Ban phones in schools
Schools should be places of learning and social growth and not endless scrolling. France banned phones in schools in 2018, and studies show students are more engaged and less distracted. At break time children need to play, talk, and recharge, not to zone out on TikTok or Instagram.

We’ve been sold a lie that technology is harmless, that social media is just "kids being kids." But the data doesn’t lie: Our children are in crisis, and we are the only ones who can save them.

This isn’t about banning technology forever, it’s about delaying it until children are emotionally ready. If enough parents say no to early screens, no to unrestricted social media, and no to phones in schools, we can shift cultural norms. Just as seatbelts and smoking bans took time to become standard, so too can digital safeguards.

Our children’s futures are at stake. The question is: Will we stand by and watch their generation be stolen, or will we take action?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

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