Children, social media and wellbeing with Professor Peter Etchells

With the potential harms of social media dominating recent headlines, it’s no wonder parents and teachers feel increasingly anxious about the impact of screens and social media on young people.  From calls for school smartphone-bans, to social media bans for under 16s in some countries, and even Louis Theroux’s recent documentary exposing the rise of the online manosphere, it can be feel impossible to understand how we safely steward our children through an ever-changing online world.

In our latest Teachappy vlog, we speak to Peter Etchells, Professor of Psychology and Science Communication at Bath Spa University, and the author of the award-winning Unlocked: The Real Science of Screen Time (and how to spend it better). His research looks at the impacts that smartphones, social media and video games have on our mental health and brings an evidence-based lens to a debate often fuelled by fear rather than facts. In this conversation, he unpacks what the research really tells us about children, technology, and wellbeing - offering clarity, nuance, and reassurance for anyone navigating the digital world with young people.

Is there a link between screen time and poor mental health?

We are regularly told that screen time is a major cause of the growing mental health crisis among children and young people. But is there clear scientific evidence to support this claim? Professor Etchells unpacks some of the research in this area and highlights why it might not be so clear-cut.

Why is the term ‘screen time’ unhelpful?

‘Screen time’ has become a familiar phrase amongst parents and teachers when we talk about children and their online activity. Etchells argues that this term can become problematic when we’re looking at the impact of online habits on mental health as it suggests that any online activity is bad for children.

So, what should we be focussing on instead?

What do healthy screen habits look like for children?

A more nuanced approach to thinking about children’s online activity is to think about their screen habits – what activities are they engaging with online, who are they interacting with, are they learning new skills or having fun? So how do we nurture helpful screen habits for children and within families and classrooms?

How do we create more offline moments?

One healthy screen habit for all ages is knowing when and how to switch off from our screens. In a world dominated by screens – phones, tvs, tablets – how do we create more protected spaces where we are able to connect with the people in front of us and why is this important?

Children and tech – what’s fact and what’s fiction?

As parents and teachers, it is easy to get caught up in the fear-fuelled debates that are currently raging around children, tech and social media. Ultimately, our collective aim is to keep children safe from unnecessary harm and with the increase in campaigns and demands for age-related bans it feels intuitively and emotionally right to nod along with some of the claims that are being made. But with many emotive, sweeping statements thrown around in this space, how do we discern fact from fiction?

Should social media be banned for under 16s?

One of the hottest topics currently in the UK is whether or not social media should be banned for under 16s. But, is this approach proven to overcome the potential negative impacts of social media on wellbeing or are there other approaches we should be considering?

With huge thanks to Professor Pete Etchells for giving us his time and insights.