Teenagers, smart phones and social media....
You know me best as Sky News's political editor, but I am also a mum to two teenagers aged 13 and 16.
They were babies born into the age of the iPad, the smartphone and social media and have grown up in what I call the digital Wild West.
From the iPads when they were younger, to the smartphones at secondary school, raising children against the backdrop of the explosion of social media, gaming platforms, and artificial intelligence has been like trying to navigate a new frontier without a playbook.
It has been a constant battle to balance the benefits of using technology - be it creative play on Minecraft or Roblox - while trying to keep them safe in these spaces where chatrooms are rife and protect their growing minds.
I have had countless conversations with friends as we fret about the possible erosion of our kids' attention spans or obsession with screens.
As my kids have got older, online platforms have given them a space to socialise with friends while gaming, or revise in groups online.
But I've also been confronted with the challenge of attempting to limit screen time and restrict - or ban - the use of social media, be it Snapchat, TikTok or Instagram. It's made all the harder when all their peers are using these apps to communicate and socialise.
There is an almost intoxicating draw for this stuff for teens who naturally want to break boundaries, are led by their peers and want to impress. Social media impacts them and their relationships at a critical period of both exploration and vulnerability.
Research shows social media drives poor body image in girls and can lead to self-harm. Boys can find themselves exposed to toxic masculinity and misogyny.
The TV series Adolescence became a global conversation because it captured a zeitgeist global in its reach - how our children are growing up in the digital age, and how as parents can we protect them.
So when I say my experience of raising children in the age of social media and smartphones has been anxiety-inducing, time-consuming and, at times, conflict-inducing, I think many of you reading this might feel the same.
Like the Wild West frontier of the 19th century, this technological frontier of the 21st century is rapidly expanding, lawless, and lacking in institutional regulation.
It is populated by some good actors and many bad ones. That's why I can completely sympathise with the parents now screaming to the politicians that they want to turn it off and stop under-16s using social media.
But will it actually work? We've spent some time with teenagers, campaigners and
@leicesterliz asking the Q
Read the full piece here
news.sky.com/story/beth-rigbā¦