The noise behind banning screens, social media and phones

Or is it delaying them in the hope this will solve a mental health crisis?

Firstly the issue with defining what we mean here would do us well to know what we are talking about. Sadly the narrative around the ‘mental health’ crisis alone is full of errs, and issues in itself. But the phones or social media? Well that reminds me of the story ‘chicken little’.

What do we mean by social media and just ‘how’ will we enforce this? Or who will enforce it and how does this happen without stepping over the parenting toes and intruding into the privacy rights and freedoms of families (a blog in itself when I get round to writing it). 

In short we can't, we won’t and it isn’t going to work. 

But try as we might, the noise around this issue will look like we are trying. And this is a major ‘points’ tactic of the political landscape. “Look..see we can say that it's simple and we are on your side… but the legislation, the process and the actuality of carrying it out? Not my monkey, not my circus?”

So what about banning it? Well just who is it that we will arrest when the ‘ban’ is broken? And what about the courts and due process when this ban is broken, is this going to be a criminal activity? I mean what about a child under the age of criminal responsibility who or how will that take place? Fines or prison for multiple times of access?

Way too many questions for the newsletter, and hopefully ones that get you thinking. You can ask me about this directly if you come to my Q&A sessions. But not wanting to be sales like… do have a real deep think about the questions posed above. 

To quote Ben Goldacre “its complicated” (way beyond a short muse that I have provided you here).

Golden moments from last month

• At the CyberGuard 2024 conference in Zagreb, (photos above) I shared the importance of intentional, thoughtful interventions when engaging with children and victims of online harm.
• I was inspired by the process called Kintsugi—the Japanese art of repairing broken items with gold.
• As I said at the conference - meeting children requires our 'conversation' (aka interventions, intentions, practice, non verbal communication and nervous system regulation) to be "golden". 
• The image below shows us why and how. I urge us all to apply this thinking when engaging with children and victims of online crimes—our interventions must be thoughtful and intentional. Let's be more golden in all of our exchanges with other humans. 
• In my trauma work, I often explore how childhood experiences shape lifelong health. Understanding trauma at a cellular level can help mitigate future challenges. 

Are you curious about the psychology behind gaming and social media use? 

Or wondering why it’s so hard to put down your phone?

• It’s not just dopamine—there’s much more to it. In my latest book "Managing Your Gaming and Social Media Habits: From Science to Solutions," I explore how technology impacts behaviour and mental health.
• Written in a Q&A format, it provides evidence-based strategies to master your tech habits and find balance.
• Available in paperback, eBook, and hardback. 

The Deep Fake Crisis

You might have seen headlines in the news about this happening in schools, but it's about to become a more common occurrence as AI gets more accessible. 

I know it's a terrifying subject and can be confusing and overwhelming if you haven't got the time (who has!) to spend researching and learning about these issues, especially on top of all the regular parenting duties we have.

I hope my videos can at least give you some understanding of the issues.

I contributed to All Tech Is Human white paper on balancing privacy and child safety in encrypted environments—a critical issue in today’s tech landscape. I’m also continuing my work on the long-term impacts of technology on mental health, including the influence of gaming, social media, and online harm.

What is Cyber Trauma?

Finally, get a real insight into what Cyber Trauma is with this mini-training for practitioners. 

Link above opens in my YouTube channel and podcast.