Smartphones aren’t just innocent gadgets. They are powerful tools designed to captivate and hold our attention, and for children, the effects can be devastating. Social media platforms deliberately exploit young people’s vulnerabilities—fear of missing out, anxiety, and struggles with self-esteem—to keep them online. The results can be tragic: increased rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and even suicide.
Every parent would recoil at the thought of giving their child cigarettes or alcohol at the age of thirteen, yet we regularly hand them smartphones—devices proven to be just as addictive and harmful. We wouldn’t let strangers into our child’s bedroom, yet social media gives predators, bullies, and harmful content unrestricted access to their most personal spaces.
Parents across Scotland have shared their fears with me. They worry deeply about their children’s safety, about bullying they cannot see, images they cannot control, and messages designed to undermine their children’s self-worth. Many feel helpless, unsure how to protect their kids from dangers they can’t fully understand or monitor.
Enough is enough. We must act now, before more young lives are damaged irreparably. It’s not enough for governments to issue guidelines or promise further studies. We need clear, enforceable actions.
Schools across Scotland should ban smartphones outright, permitting exceptions only when absolutely necessary and only with explicit permission from the headteacher. Schools must have the authority to confiscate these devices without obligation to immediately return them if rules are broken. We need to empower schools to protect children effectively.
