In November 2025, the European Parliament adopted a non‑binding report calling for the establishment of an age limit for social media use in the European Union. In September 2026, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, introduced an approach aimed at restricting young people's use of social media.

Since 1 September 2025, Estonian schools have had a legal obligation to work together with the community and the school board to develop principles on which the school rules for the use of smart devices are based. Schools have approached the regulation of smart devices differently, ranging from greater freedom of use to strict restrictions.

When discussing this topic, one must first acknowledge a simple fact: excessive use of social media and smart devices can be harmful. It can disturb concentration, create unhealthy habits, and take time away from activities that are important for a young person's development.

The problem arises when we begin to believe that banning can simply eliminate these problems.

Throughout history, various societal problems have repeatedly been attempted to be solved through bans. For example, in the United States from 1920 to 1933, the production and sale of alcohol were prohibited. Likewise, during the Soviet occupation in Estonia, freedom of speech and the spread of information were strictly limited. The existence of a ban does not automatically mean that undesirable behavior actually disappears, especially when the necessity or usefulness of the ban is not accepted.

The same issue arises with social media and smart devices. If a rule seems unreasonable or unfair to a young person, they often find a way to bypass it. With a smart device, this may mean using it secretly; with social media, it may mean providing false age information or using another person's account.

The European Parliament's own 2023 report "Online age verification methods for children" (EPRS, 2023) also acknowledges that existing age‑verification mechanisms can be circumvented and that they involve accuracy and privacy‑related problems.

If a student uses a phone during recess to play games or be on social media instead of studying, this should not automatically mean that the same behavior is characteristic of all students. There are also students who want to use their phone during recess to review study materials, read news, or for other useful purposes.

A recess does not necessarily have to mean only active social interaction, where every moment must be filled with shared activities. For some young people, a phone can be an opportunity to listen to music alone, communicate with friends from other schools, make plans for the evening, or simply disconnect from the environment for a moment and be by themselves.

Social media indeed contains a lot of content designed to keep the user on the platform for as long as possible, but social media also contains educational and practical material — from cooking and sewing to car maintenance, woodworking, or learning a new skill.

If we restrict everyone uniformly, we create a situation where young people who behave responsibly must essentially bear the consequences of those who misuse smart devices and social media.

It is also naive to think that smart devices and social media are phenomena that can simply be pushed away from young people and the problem will be solved. Not seeing the problem does not mean the problem no longer exists.

Smart devices and social media are part of modern society, and young people must sooner or later learn to cope with them. Therefore, the task of school and home should be not to restrict, but to teach how to use these tools wisely. Digital competence and good habits develop through practice, discussion, and understanding the consequences of one's behavior.

Now we arrive at the elephant in the room, which is not always comfortable to talk about. The problem of excessive use of social media and smart devices did not arise out of nowhere. It is worth asking where a child gets their first digital habits.

For a parent, it can be very convenient to give a child a phone or tablet so that the child stays quietly occupied for half an hour or a couple of hours, and the parent can deal with their own tasks. Taken alone, this may not seem harmful. The problem arises quietly when this becomes a consistent habit and the child learns early on that the first solution to boredom, restlessness, or discomfort is the screen.

We cannot place all responsibility on young people. A child learns their habits primarily from the environment in which they grow up, because a child is largely a reflection of their home.

Protecting young people from excessive use of social media and smart devices is necessary, but relying solely on bans will not solve the problem. I do not think it is right to judge all young people by the same restrictive standard, because smart devices and social media can also be used for studying, communication, and acquiring new skills.

Alongside restrictions, we should focus more on teaching young people conscious and responsible use of digital tools. Likewise, we cannot place all responsibility on young people, because their habits are largely shaped by the environment in which they grow up and the example they receive at home.

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