Colman Noctor: Growing up in a flatscreen world can flatline social skills

Time is finite and not renewable. Every hour spent online is an hour not spent doing something else, so when children spend large parts of their day online, something else gets sacrificed

Increasingly, screens are used as emotional regulators by children and adults alike. If you are bored, scroll. If you are upset, watch. If you are anxious, game. Picture: iStock 

MOST internet safety campaigns carry the same essential, well-meaning messages: monitor devices, set parental controls, talk to children about strangers, watch for signs of bullying, and protect privacy. 

This year, this safety feels more significant amid ongoing government discussions by Tánaiste Simon Harris about banning social media access for under-16s. These are important conversations. Necessary ones. But from a mental health perspective, they are only part of the conversation.