People born after 1995 are often described as the first truly digital generation. Unlike their parents, who can remember a time before email and mobile phones, these young people have never known a world without the internet. It has shaped every aspect of their lives, from the way they learn to the way they form relationships.
For this generation, the smartphone is not merely a device but an extension of themselves. They use it to communicate, to shop, to navigate, to entertain themselves, and to access information on virtually any subject within seconds. The idea of waiting days for a letter or visiting a library to look something up feels impossibly old-fashioned to them.
Online platforms have given young people the ability to maintain friendships across vast distances, to find communities of people who share their interests, and to express themselves creatively through videos, blogs, and social media posts. For many teenagers growing up in small towns or isolated areas, these connections have been genuinely life-changing.
Research consistently shows that excessive screen time is associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance among young people. The constant pressure to present a perfect image online, combined with the fear of missing out on what others are doing, creates a cycle of comparison that can be deeply damaging to self-esteem.
Cyberbullying, for instance, follows victims into their homes in a way that traditional bullying never could. A cruel comment posted publicly can be seen by hundreds of people within minutes, and the permanence of digital content means that hurtful material can resurface long after the original incident. Schools and parents often struggle to keep pace with the speed at which these situations develop.
Some countries have introduced legislation restricting social media access for children under a certain age. Schools are increasingly incorporating digital literacy into their curricula, teaching students how to evaluate online information, protect their privacy, and manage their screen time responsibly.
The young people themselves may be best placed to find that balance. Having grown up immersed in technology, they understand its power and its pitfalls more intimately than any previous generation. The challenge for society is to support them in making thoughtful choices rather than simply telling them to switch off.