Digital Literacy Starts Offline

In an effort to protect children online, the British government recently announced their plan to delay social media access for kids under 16 by early 2027. While the majority of youth, especially those already on social media, might push back against the new policy, it isn't about being "anti-social media." Evidence shows there is no need for children to be on "social media" before 16.

The design of most social media feeds is engineered to produce an addictive attachment between the user and the platform, leveraging features like the endless scroll and personalized algorithms to maximize engagement at all costs. There is a popular myth that asserts the idea of the "digital native." As researcher danah boyd critiques, adults frequently confuse a child's digital immersion for digital literacy. Because today's youth have grown up in a world where the internet has always existed, we falsely assume they are naturally equipped with the ability to critically navigate it. But being able to swipe with ease or post without fear does not mean a child is aware of how their technology use is shaping their mind. This assumption leaves youth to fend for themselves in a digital environment we are all learning to maneuver.

Scholar, teacher, and advocate for children's literacy Maryanne Wolf introduces the concept of the "shallowing effect," detailing how the binary nature of social media interaction—like vs. ignore, swipe up vs. stay—conditions the brain to seek immediate gratification when engaging with information. This fosters a harmful loop in children's developing minds, particularly in moments where they are required to engage with content more thoughtfully in academic settings. After the pandemic, researchers observed a rise in screen use. We see this dysfunction show up directly in the classroom. Students are so accustomed to the constant, streamlined quick skimming of social media that they face extreme difficulty building the deep reading circuits required for them to critically engage with academic texts, complex prompts, nuanced questions, or really anything outside of short-form media.

Growing up with social media and technology since elementary school, I have experienced this firsthand. After years of heavy screen use during my own developmental years, it now requires a conscious effort as a young adult to understand how these systems were engineered to rewire my habit loops and attention span. I can only imagine the concerns and hurdles it creates for freshly developing minds. Today, I find myself taking regular digital detoxes, moving my reading from social media to longform storytelling, like Substack, and not taking the posts I see at face value. I've even taken advantage of courses at my university that dove into the history of computers and the internet to remind myself of the true purpose of this space: to serve as a global encyclopedia for information and a genuine social connector for communities worldwide.

Learning about the original uses of the internet and social media allowed me to adjust how I approach my own usage, taking advantage of peer-reviewed research like Google Scholar or JSTOR for simple daily questions like: How can I improve my memory retention when studying? And what impact does exercise have on my mental health?

Through my work as an intern at Common Sense Media, I've observed how this aligns with one of our core pillars: healthy childhood. At Common Sense Media, we believe that youth deserve the chance to build strong foundational skills and have access to an understanding support network before entering the digital ecosystem.

In my opinion, true digital literacy starts offline, by equipping youth with the tools they need before they step online. It means nourishing a child's identity, physical health, hobbies, and support systems outside of the digital landscape first. This might look like enrolling a child in a sport or team activity that teaches them they are a part of a larger collective moving toward a common goal. It means ensuring that children have baseline social skills to initiate conversations with other kids on the playground, answer questions of substance about their day, or handle conflict in an appropriate manner when they are told no or asked to share.

These real-world social skills translate directly to being able to effectively navigate online spaces, where youth will constantly be challenged and faced with questions about the content they see. Equipping youth with these offline tools is exactly what allows them to later become effective digital citizens who can engage with online communities in a thoughtful, impactful manner. After-school programs, extracurricular enrichment, mindfulness techniques and emotional regulation, and development of skills such as playing an instrument, cooking, hiking, and cleaning, are all various ways to teach kids how to develop focus without constant stimulation. To the parents and educators navigating this terrain: Do not fear. There are great resources available to help children form their identities based on real-world experiences, rather than what is fed to them by an algorithm. Programs like our '90s Summer Quiz are designed to equip parents with screen-free summer activities, helping families step away from the digital world and engage with unplugged, imaginative play.

Ultimately, the debate surrounding social media bans isn't about sheltering children from the future, or parts of their identity that haven't been exposed to yet—it's about preparing them for it. Technology is a permanent, powerful force in our world, but it should serve human development rather than exploit it. True digital literacy isn't measured by how early a child can navigate an app, but by how securely they are anchored in the real world before they do. By prioritizing a healthy, offline childhood today, we give our youth the cognitive stamina, emotional resilience, and real-world identity they need to be the intentional digital citizens of tomorrow.