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As Safer Internet Day approaches, it serves as a critical reminder to reflect on the complex intersection of technology and teen wellbeing. In a world where smartphones and social media dominate young people’s lives, it’s vital that we rethink our approach to digital safety, especially considering recent research. A FOSI study spanning three countries—the United States, Brazil, and Germany—reveals striking insights that challenge the prevailing narrative about digital technology’s impact on teen mental health. It’s time for a new, balanced conversation on how we can protect and empower our youth in an increasingly digital world.
A Misguided Approach to Digital Technology
For years, headlines have sounded the alarm about a teen mental health crisis, often blaming social media and excessive screen time. In response, lawmakers have been quick to propose sweeping measures—banning certain apps, restricting access to social platforms, or even regulating screen time. But these responses miss the mark.
The narrative that social media is the primary driver of a mental health crisis is simplistic and misleading. While digital platforms undoubtedly carry risks, they also offer substantial benefits. The challenge lies not in banning technology but in understanding its nuanced effects on young people’s lives.
Understanding the Digital Divide: Parents vs. Teens
Our study offers a fresh perspective. We surveyed 3,000 parents and 3,000 teens aged 13-17 across the U.S., Brazil, and Germany, and found a significant gap in how parents and teens view digital wellbeing. Parents tend to prioritize physical and mental health, with financial wellbeing as a close third, while teens place more emphasis on social health, considering it as important, or sometimes more important than, their mental health.
This generational divide underscores the reality that while some parents see digital engagement as a potential risk to mental and physical health, teens view it as an essential tool for social connection and self-expression. Social media, for teens, is not just a source of distraction but a lifeline for friendships, creativity, and identity development.
The Positive Side of Digital Life
While the negative impacts of digital technology, such as sleep disruption and online scams, are well-documented, the benefits are equally significant. The research shows that digital platforms provide unparalleled opportunities for teens to connect with peers and express themselves creatively. In fact, 41-44% of both parents and teens across the three countries cited improved social connections as one of the primary benefits of being online.
The ability to create, share, and collaborate online allows teens to develop skills and self-expression that were previously inaccessible. From participating in online communities to sharing artwork and writing, digital platforms serve as an incubator for creativity. These benefits, however, are often overshadowed by the alarmist focus on the risks.
Digital Wellbeing: Shared Responsibility
One of the most revealing findings of the study is the shared sense of responsibility for digital wellbeing. Parents and teens both acknowledge their role in ensuring a healthy balance between online and offline activities. However, while parents tend to view themselves as the primary guardians of their teen’s digital wellbeing, teens feel a stronger sense of personal responsibility. In fact, up to 75% of teens believe they are primarily responsible for managing their own digital habits, compared to only 58% of parents who share that view.
This disparity highlights a critical truth: for any approach to digital wellbeing to be effective, it must be collaborative. Parents and teens must work together, not only to mitigate risks but also to unlock the positive potential of technology. This requires fostering open communication, setting boundaries, and empowering teens to make informed choices about their online lives.
The Role of Technology Companies and Government
Another key finding from the study is the overwhelming preference for technology companies to play a more active role in promoting digital wellbeing. Across all three countries, parents and teens were far more supportive of tech companies taking steps to improve online safety and wellbeing than they were of government intervention. In Brazil, 87% of parents and 84% of teens favored tech companies playing a larger role, compared to significantly lower support for government involvement.
This sentiment reflects a growing recognition that technology companies—not governments—are best positioned to develop tools that enhance digital wellbeing. Whether through stronger privacy protections, age-appropriate content filters, or features that encourage healthy online behaviors, tech companies have the power to shape a safer digital landscape. It’s time for them to use that power responsibly and proactively, rather than waiting for regulation to force their hand.
On the regulatory side, governments have a real opportunity to listen to families and pass online safety policies that directly address their top reported harms: scams, sleep disruption, and negative interactions. Thoughtful, evidence-based policies can mitigate key online harms while preserving the many benefits of teens being online.
A New Path Forward
The call to action is clear: it’s time to move beyond binary debates over screen time and social media bans and adopt a more nuanced approach to digital wellbeing. Instead of treating technology as a villain, we must acknowledge that it has the potential to be a force for good—if managed responsibly.
This Safer Internet Day let’s commit to fostering a dialogue that includes teens in the conversation about their digital lives. Let’s embrace solutions that empower teens to manage their digital wellbeing, with parents as guides and technology companies as partners. By working together, we can help our youth navigate the digital world in a way that nurtures their mental, emotional, and social health.
To view the full research report and executive summary, click here.
For the past 30 years, Stephen Balkam has had a wide range of leadership roles in the nonprofit sector in both the US and UK. He is currently the Founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), an international, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC. FOSI’s mission is to make the online world safer for kids and their families. FOSI convenes the top thinkers and practitioners in government, industry and the nonprofit sectors to collaborate and innovate and to create a “culture of responsibility” in the online world.
Prior to FOSI, Stephen was the Founder and CEO of the Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA) and led a team which developed the world’s leading content labeling system on the web. While with ICRA, Stephen served on the US Child Online Protection Commission (COPA) in 2000 and was named one of the Top 50 UK Movers and Shakers, Internet Magazine, 2001.
In 1994, Stephen was named the first Executive Director of the Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC) which created a unique self-labeling system for computer games and then, in 1996, Stephen launched RSACi – a forerunner to the ICRA website labeling system. For his efforts in online safety, Stephen was given the 1998 Carl Bertelsmann Prize in Gutersloh, Germany, for innovation and responsibility in the Information Society and was invited to the first and subsequent White House Internet Summits during the Clinton Administration.
Stephen’s other positions include the Executive Director of the National Stepfamily Association (UK); General Secretary of the Islington Voluntary Action Council; Executive Director of Camden Community Transport as well as management positions at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (London) and Inter-Action. Stephen’s first job was with Burroughs Machines (now Unisys) and he had a spell working for West Nally Ltd – a sports sponsorship PR company.
Stephen received a BA, magna cum laude, in Psychology from University College, Cardiff, Wales in 1977. A native of Washington, DC, Stephen spent many years in the UK and is now has dual citizenship. He writes regularly for the Huffington Post, appears often on TV and has appeared on nationally syndicated TV and radio programs such as MSNBC, CNN, NPR and the BBC and has been interviewed by leading newspapers such as the Washington Post, New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, radio and in the mainstream press. He has given presentations and spoken in 15 countries on 4 continents.
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