Phone-free discos would be more fun — and less pressure, say Irish teens

'You can’t really just go to a disco and enjoy it anymore,' 15-year-old Annie said, 'you have to keep checking yourself'

The teenagers were on the show to talk about their Young Social Innovator's project 'Be Aware, Don't Compare' which is all about the effects of comparison culture and edited content online on young people. Picture: Mali Maeder / Pexels

Phone-free discos would result in less pressure and more fun, two Irish teens have said.

Transition year students, Annie Shepard and Daragh Ross, spoke to Ryan Tubridy on RTÉ Radio 1 to talk about comparison culture and the pressure young people face.

Asked whether she would enjoy attending teen discos more or less if phones were banned, 15-year-old Annie said they would “definitely” be more fun phone-free.

Molly Hughes, Chloe Cullen, Annie Shephard and Darragh Rawson are involved in the project Picture: @Be_Aware_Dont_Compare / Instagram

“You wouldn't have to be worried about someone else taking pictures of you or someone else videoing you,” she said.

“You can’t really just go to a disco and enjoy it anymore,” she said, “you have to keep checking yourself.” 

It’s gotten to the stage where it’s just about what’s on social media. It’s more about posting that you went to the disco than just enjoying in the moment.

Fellow TY student 16-year-old Daragh Ross said he would “love” to go to a disco with no phones.

“When you’re in the disco every few minutes you turn around and there’s lads taking pictures or videos, there’s always something. 

"I’d like to just go and have a bit of craic with the lads and worry about the phones after.” 

The teenagers were on the show to talk about their Young Social Innovator's project 'Be Aware, Don't Compare' which is all about the effects of comparison culture and edited content online on young people.

“It’s a fake world we live in,” Annie said, “and it’s not just teenagers.” 

The Coláiste Bhríde students said their ultimate goal is to try to change legislation so there would be a legal requirement to tag your photo and alert followers if the image has been edited or photoshopped.

You can keep up to date with the teenagers' project on their Instagram page, instagram.com/be_aware_dont_compare/
and sign their petition to fight for legislation that requires edited and photo-shopped images to carry a symbol  here.