A social media ban won’t keep my teenagers safe

Even with a ban, Gen Alpha will find a way to connect with people online. It’s up to the platforms – and grownups – to ensure a safer internet

In the olden days, I sat in front of an enormous CRT monitor and waited for my 14400 baud modem to connect. For a few hours, I talked to my friends via internet relay chat (“online”). When I was finished, I stood up, left the family room and hung out with my cats (“offline”).

The distinction between online and off has changed a lot since then. Relationships moved from LiveJournal to IRL. We had to use email for work. Banks closed their physical branches in favour of apps. Slowly but surely, our “online life” just became life. Society now straddles the two worlds, with the same terrible people gathering in both dog parks and neighbourhood Facebook groups.