Digital Dangers – The adverse effects of screens on children
Digital dangers- the adverse effects of screens on children
This article discusses the increasing challenges faced by children and adolescents who spend time on screens. It does not dismiss the benefits of screens, but encourages us to consider that there should be a balance in their use, as the risks pose a greater danger if not used responsibly. I have consolidated scientific evidence and drawn from my experience in clinical practice to inform this article. I have employed hypothetical scenarios to illustrate certain concepts, which are based on my clinical experience. The names used are not real, and the stories are unrelated to any specific patient.
It is beneficial to explore brain development in adolescents before understanding the impact of screens on them. Adolescence is a period of significant transformation, both physically and emotionally, as well as in the brain. As your child transitions from childhood to adulthood, you will observe a growing independence and a desire to be treated more like an adult, particularly between the ages of 16 and 18. However, it’s crucial to remember that while adolescents may appear and behave more mature, their brains are still developing.
The Ongoing Development of the Prefrontal Cortex
The prefrontal cortex, located just behind the forehead, is the part of the brain responsible for planning, decision-making, self-control, and understanding the consequences of one’s actions. This region is one of the last areas of the brain to mature fully, and this process continues well into the mid-20s.
Because the prefrontal cortex is still developing, teenagers tend to rely more on other brain regions, such as the amygdala, which is involved in emotion and impulse control, when making decisions. An underdeveloped prefrontal cortex means adolescents may find it harder to control impulses and delay gratification, be more susceptible to peer pressure and emotional decision-making and take more risks, sometimes even when they understand the dangers.
The adolescent brain is wired to seek new experiences and rewards; however, the systems that help evaluate long-term consequences and resist temptation are still developing. This means that even though adolescents may be given more freedom and responsibility, their ability to make well-reasoned, long-term decisions is still maturing consistently.
Adolescence is a sensitive developmental period, and social development plays a crucial role in it. However, screens and virtual space hamper the growth of meaningful relationships.
Conformity Bias and Adolescents: Navigating Social Media Pressures
Fitting in with peers becomes particularly important during adolescence, and conformity bias significantly shapes behaviour, even in the absence of direct peer pressure. For many teenagers, observing the actions of others at school or within their social circles can greatly influence their choices, including how they utilise screens and social media.
Why Do Teens Conform?
During adolescence, the desire to belong and gain social approval is heightened, especially when encountering a new environment. Teens often compare themselves to others and may change their behaviours to match group norms, even if it means doing things they might not personally choose. This drive to conform peaks in early to mid-adolescence (around ages 14–15) and gradually decreases as teens mature and develop a stronger sense of self. However, while this conformity can help teens form social bonds, it can also lead them to adopt habits, like excessive screen time or risky social media use, simply because “everyone else is doing it.”
Social Media and the Need to Belong
Social media platforms amplify conformity pressures. Teens see their peers constantly online, sharing updates and participating in trends, which can make them feel left out if they don’t join in. The feedback loops of likes, comments, and shares provide immediate social validation, making it even harder for adolescents to resist conforming to group behaviours. The adolescent brain is susceptible to social feedback and less able to control impulses, making it easier to get “hooked” on these digital interactions.
Conforming to peer behaviours online can expose adolescents to negative influences, such as cyberbullying, unhealthy comparison, and tech addiction. The need to fit in may also cause anxiety and stress, particularly for those who struggle to say no or feel pressured to maintain a specific online image.
Adolescents are navigating a complex social world, both online and offline. Recognising the impact of conformity bias can empower parents to guide their teens toward more mindful and independent decision-making.
Biases in virtual space
In their quest for conformity to the group’s existing norms, young people can be influenced by what is referred to as prestige bias. They often seek out individuals with the most followers and may begin to follow and even emulate them. This doesn’t necessarily imply that the influencer is engaging in socially acceptable behaviour, but rather that they possess the highest follower count.
Young people, therefore, are anchored to the individuals influencing them and may attempt to follow the influencer’s messages (anchor bias). Social media is known to offer validation for people’s actions from other members. Once they receive “likes” that affirm what they are doing, even if it’s not endorsed by society, those behaviours can be validated and act as a confirmation bias, reinforcing those behaviours. This pattern of biases, which progresses from confirmation bias to prestige bias to anchor bias, can be detrimental to adolescents. Unfortunately, negative messages tend to gain more traction than positive ones, as our brains are inherently biased towards negative information.
Imagine the story of Emily, a 14-year-old who is obsessed with body image, despite her body weight being within the ideal range. She was an otherwise well child in all other respects. She recently changed schools and was the subject of bullying and body shaming. Several of her new friends idolise being slim.
Case scenario – Emily then goes to social media and decides to search for ways to slim down. Social media then feeds her posts based on her search-related diet and exercise queries (algorithm-driven posts). This is, therefore, Emily’s attempt to slim down to conform to the widely held beliefs of her friend’s circle. She then meets an influencer, Kylie, who promotes the benefits of being slim and offers advice on how to achieve this. She is an example of someone who has lost a substantial amount of weight through a rigorous diet and exercise, and she has the most followers on social media. Emily anchors on the influencer, Kylie, and decides to follow her.
Emily regularly posts images on social media showing how she has lost weight over time, receiving numerous validations in the form of likes and retweets. This confirms her belief that a slim body frame is the most desirable body shape, thereby strengthening her body image beliefs. This is a common pathway to eating disorders that I see in clinical practice. Something that started as seemingly benign has then taken a turn to be pathological, with severe consequences for the young person.
The same scenarios could hold for other similar situations, such as hate speeches on social media with themes related to race, politics, etc, and some medical conditions, such as those referred to as “TikTok” ticks. In his book The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt identifies the impact of social media and over-parenting as the most critical factors leading to rising mental health issues in children and adolescents.
The Harmful Impact of Screen Time
Today, adolescents are increasingly attached to their screens, significantly limiting opportunities for face-to-face socialisation. In-person interactions are crucial for recognising and interpreting emotions, facial expressions, and body language. Without these essential experiences, young people may struggle to communicate effectively and understand emotions. This shift has led to a growing epidemic of social isolation among adolescents. Since the widespread adoption of smartphones, the rates of anxiety and depression in young people have surged, underscoring the profound psychological effects of excessive screen time.
Impact of Parenting styles and family framework
It is also important to acknowledge the unintended consequences of overprotective parenting. In recent years, there has been an increased focus on physical safety, particularly for children born after 1995, commonly referred to as Generation Z. Parents’ fears, especially regarding exposure to sex offenders and other dangers, have led to restrictions on outdoor play and community interactions. Consequently, children are spending less time with their peers in real-world settings. Ironically, the same risks that parents aim to avoid are often more prevalent in the virtual world, which remains largely unregulated and unsupervised. In an attempt to protect children from perceived physical dangers, overprotective parenting may heighten their vulnerability by limiting real-world experiences and pushing them towards potentially riskier digital environments.
The popular Netflix series “Adolescence” addresses significant societal issues related to behavioural concerns in adolescence. However, the most striking aspect is the underlying causes of these issues. Parenting styles and their influence on behaviour, a lack of role models, inadequate expressions of love towards children leading them to seek alternate forms of connection through virtual media, poor socioeconomic status, and the impact of virtual media on behaviours—such as exposure to cyberbullying, pressure to conform, and justification of aggression—all contribute to behavioural problems in children. To protect children, has the pendulum swung too far the other way? Are parents now hesitant to express their love due to the new social norms that everyone feels compelled to follow?
Consequences of screens: Replacing Social Skills
The social landscape for adolescents has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. Increasingly, young people are retreating into digital spaces, where communication is curated, interactions are easily avoided, and discomfort can be instantly escaped with the swipe of a finger.
Historically, childhood and adolescence offered rich opportunities for social learning through playground disputes, team sports, neighbourhood friendships, and face-to-face conversations. Though sometimes challenging, these interactions helped young people develop essential interpersonal skills such as conflict resolution, empathy, and emotional regulation. They learned how to read body language, interpret tone, and build meaningful relationships grounded in trust and mutual understanding. The skills obtained from playing with other children developed the skills of not dominating one another and following rules.
However, the rise in screen time is changing this dynamic. Many adolescents now spend more time interacting through screens than in person. Social media platforms allow for anonymous, edited, and transient communication. If a conversation becomes uncomfortable, it can end immediately. If a disagreement arises, one can disengage. This kind of interaction may feel safe and controllable, but it does not foster the same depth of emotional development as in-person communication. The virtual world adversely affects the rules that dictate effective communication needed in relations, which impacts real-life communication.
Consequently, many young people enter adulthood with fewer opportunities to practise the essential skills required for healthy, lasting relationships. They may struggle to navigate real-life social situations, resolve conflicts constructively, or form meaningful connections with others.
Parents must recognise this shift and consider how screen time may subtly reshape their children’s capacity to engage with the world. Encouraging face-to-face interaction, supporting participation in community activities, and modelling healthy communication are critical steps in assisting adolescents to develop the social and emotional skills they need for the future.
Why We Need to Rethink Smartphones and Social Media for Young Teens
One of the most important things we can do as parents is to think carefully about when our children are ready for smartphones and social media. There’s growing evidence that early exposure can be harmful, especially before high school.
Smartphones, and especially the apps and platforms they carry, are designed to hold attention. Many of these are powered by algorithms that constantly feed content to keep users scrolling, liking, and returning for more. This can be particularly damaging for younger children and early teens, whose brains are still developing and who are naturally more vulnerable to addictive patterns.
Social media deserves special attention. While platforms often set age cut-offs, such as 13 or 16, these do not necessarily mean a child is emotionally ready to handle the consequences of online exposure, comparison, online conflict, unrealistic standards, and the constant pull for validation through likes and follows.
Instead of relying solely on age limits, considering each child individually is far more helpful. Maturity, emotional regulation, and the ability to make thoughtful decisions all vary widely from one young person to another. Some 14-year-olds may handle limited use responsibly, while others might struggle even at 16. That’s why this decision should be made carefully, with regular conversations, clear expectations, and active involvement from parents.
Giving a child access to a smartphone or social media too early is not just about the device; it’s about what they are exposed to and whether they have the tools to manage it. As parents, we must guide them through this digital world with care, patience, and ongoing support.
Emotional Vulnerability in the Digital Age: What Parents Need to Know
The ancient philosopher Epictetus once said, “If your body were handed over to just anyone, you would be outraged—so why are you not ashamed that you have handed over your mind to anyone who insults you?” This wisdom, though centuries old, feels especially relevant today, particularly when considering how social media impacts the emotional well-being of our children.
Adolescents are at a stage in life when they are still learning to understand and regulate their emotions. Their sense of identity is developing, and they are susceptible to positive and negative feedback from those around them. Social media platforms, by design, expose them to constant streams of content: photos, comments, likes, and opinions from friends, strangers, and influencers alike.
The problem is that young people often absorb these messages without even realising it. A single negative comment or comparison can spark anxiety, sadness, or confusion. They may begin to feel upset but not understand why. Their emotional state becomes tied to what they see on the screen, leaving them vulnerable to the opinions and behaviours of others, many of whom they do not even know.
Unlike real-life interactions, social media offers no exact context or emotional cues. It’s harder for adolescents to process tone, intention, or the reality behind curated images and posts. As a result, their emotions can be easily triggered, and they may struggle to distinguish between what is real and what is just a digital performance.
Parents must understand the profound impact this influence can have. Helping children build emotional resilience means limiting their exposure where necessary, teaching them to reflect on what they consume, and encouraging open conversations about how online experiences affect them. Just as we protect their physical health, we must also protect their inner world, thoughts, feelings, and developing sense of self.
The Role of Adults in Responsible Screen Use
As we consider the impact of screen time on young people, it is equally important to reflect on the responsibility adults carry in shaping healthy digital habits. Children often learn not just from what we say, but from what we do. Our screen behaviour sets powerful examples.
In today’s world, where work, communication, and even social connection often rely on digital platforms, it is unrealistic to expect a complete avoidance of screen use. However, what is possible—and essential—is the responsible use of screens.
This may involve meaningful but straightforward practices. For example, adults can explain their screen use around children by saying, “I’m just responding to a work message,” or “I’m looking up directions.” This small gesture clarifies the device’s purpose, models transparency, and builds in mindful use of the device. Similarly, engaging in joint screen activities—like watching a movie or playing an educational game—helps turn screen time into shared time, rather than a solitary or isolating experience.
Another aspect to consider is the sudden shift in expectations placed on young people. Often, children are closely monitored in their early years, with strict screen limits, only to be given complete independence at 16 or 18 with little preparation or guidance. This abrupt transition can be overwhelming. It is far more effective to gradually build digital responsibility over time, supported by ongoing conversations and consistent role modelling from adults.
Ultimately, fostering healthy screen habits in adolescents begins with adults in their lives using screens mindfully and intentionally. When parents and caregivers lead by example, they establish boundaries and foster a culture of respect, balance, and awareness regarding technology.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and doesn’t replace medical advice from your trusted medical practitioner. Please seek medical advice if necessary.
References
Jonathan Haidt. The anxious generation, Penguin Press, 2024.
Adolescence- Netflix series