For years, there has been a growing concern about the impact of social media and prolonged digital access on the mental health and development of children. In the past year, Australia has implemented a social media ban for children under the age of 16, whilst Denmark has banned students’ use of mobile/cellular phones in schools, with other countries in advanced stages of implementing similar measures. However, what can Caribbean countries learn from these tech bans? We discuss.
A significant shift is underway in the global conversation surrounding children and technology. After years of unfettered expansion into digital spaces, a growing number of nations are pulling on the reins, implementing strict measures to curtail children’s access to social media and smartphones. Countries such as Australia and Denmark are at the forefront of this movement, driven by alarm over the mental health and developmental impact of a childhood immersed in the digital world.
This global trend presents a complex dilemma for regions such as the Caribbean, which are currently accelerating efforts to integrate technology into classrooms to bridge the digital divide and prepare youth for a modern economy. As our countries push for greater connectivity, we now face the critical task of evaluating the restrictive measures adopted in other countries to decide how to forge a balanced path forward.
The pendulum swings back: Australia and Denmark lead the charge
Australia has taken one of the most decisive steps globally, passing world-first legislation to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing major social media platforms. This law, which came into effect towards the end of 2025, places the onus on tech giants to enforce age restrictions or face significant fines. In the first instance, 10 platforms have been targeted: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit and streaming platforms Kick and Twitch.
The ban is underpinned by a growing body of concern from parents, experts, and policymakers who argue that social media platforms, with their addictive algorithms and exposure to harmful content, are fuelling a mental health crisis among teenagers. A 2005 study commissioned by the Government of Australia found “that 96% of children aged 10—15 used social media, and that seven out of 10 of them had been exposed to harmful content. This included misogynistic and violent material as well as content promoting eating disorders and suicide…One in seven also reported experiencing grooming-type behaviour from adults or older children, and more than half said they had been the victim of cyberbullying” (Source BBC). The Government has thus framed this ban as a necessary protective measure against online bullying, predatory behaviour, and unrealistic body image pressures that plague young users.
On the opposite side of the world, Denmark is pursuing a parallel, two-pronged approach. Starting in 2026, the Government has secured a broad political agreement to ban mobile phones in primary and lower secondary schools, with the primary goal of combating distraction, improving concentration in classrooms, and fostering better social interactions among students. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has been a vocal critic, stating that smartphones and social media are “stealing our children’s childhood” (Source: The Guardian).
Denmark is also advancing plans for a national ban on social media for children under 15, mirroring the Australian model and signalling a deep-seated unease with the current digital landscape for youth. Other European nations, including France, Spain, Norway and the United Kingdom, are considering implementing similar restrictions.
The Caribbean region’s digital drive and emerging concerns
In stark contrast to this wave of restrictions some developed countries have introduced, virtually all Caribbean countries are actively pursuing an agenda of digital integration. Governments across the region have launched ambitious policies to, among other things, expand internet access in schools, provide tablets and laptops to students, and train teachers in ICT. The prevailing view is that digital literacy is an essential skill for the 21st-century workforce and that technology can enhance learning opportunities, particularly in resource-constrained environments.
However, this push for digitalisation is not without its detractors. As screens become more ubiquitous in Caribbean homes and schools, familiar concerns are bubbling to the surface. Parents and educators are increasingly raising alarms about excessive screen time, sleep deprivation, cyberbullying, and the erosion of traditional social skills. In Guyana, for example, the government has announced a national consultation on children’s screen time and social media misuse (Source: Department of Public Information, Guyana), reflecting a growing acknowledgement that the region is not immune to the global challenges of the digital age. Religious leaders in Trinidad and Tobago have also added their voices to calls for greater restrictions to protect children from online harms (Source: The Tablet).
Navigating the divide: Lessons for the Caribbean
For Caribbean policymakers, the path forward is not a simple choice between unbridled integration and blanket restriction. The experiences of countries like Australia and Denmark offer valuable case studies, but they must be weighed against local realities and a nuanced understanding of the evidence.
Although some research indicates that banning phones in schools can lead to improved academic performance, particularly for struggling students, and a reduction in bullying incidents, critics of blanket bans argue that they can be difficult to enforce. Further, it may push adolescents toward less regulated and “darker” corners of the internet, and perhaps most crucially, miss the opportunity to teach them how to navigate our increasingly digital world responsibly.
On the flipside, and to varying degrees, digital education platforms have in essence become de facto teaching assistants in Caribbean schools. In schools that are overcrowded, understaffed and under-resourced, online educational platforms can offer different learning modalities and remediation support based on students’ individual needs, which a sole teacher in a classroom would be challenged to provide.
It is currently unclear whether Caribbean countries are planning to adopt policies similar to those implemented in Australia and Denmark. However, cognisant of the growing concerns and reports being made regarding the negative effects of digital access by children, in the first instance, countries may need to balance the benefits of educational technology with the need for child protection.
First, instead of implementing total bans on mobile/cellular phones, for example, schools could implement clear, enforceable policies that restrict phone use during instructional time while allowing for their use as educational tools under teacher guidance. Such an approach addresses the issue of distraction without rejecting the potential of digital learning. However, it does require schools to be able to provide students with access to a suitably configured digital device instead of depending on students to provide their own, which would inherently undermine the policy.
Second, it must be emphasised that even if a ban is established, citizens and especially children still need to be able to competently function in digital spaces. Hence, comprehensive digital literacy education should start at a young age. Such programmes would involve teaching children critical thinking skills to evaluate online information, understanding the mechanics of persuasive design, recognising online risks, and practising responsible digital citizenship.
Finally, noting that children are likely to have considerable digital access at home, governments and schools ought to work together to provide resources and guidance to parents. Many parents use digital devices to pacify their children, but they now need to be equipped to establish healthy screen-time boundaries at home, to have open, ongoing conversations with their children about their online experiences, and to know about and access avenues for redress or support if needed.
As the digital pendulum swings globally, the Caribbean region stands at a crossroads. It may no longer be prudent to believe that going digital will solve all our problems, especially noting that the long-term effect of early and extensive digital exposure in children is still being studied. To that end, we may need to hedge our bets. Ultimately, the goal must be to raise a generation that is not just digitally connected but also digitally competent, resilient, and safe.
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