In this report, we build on our wellbeing programme of work to consider the importance of young people feeling in control of their online lives. It draws on research supported by TikTok, which explores the views of teens and parents from the UK and Europe on having agency and its role in managing screen time.
Our wellbeing programme of work has revealed the importance of supporting young people’s access to the digital world. While protecting them is crucial, we need to ensure they also have the opportunity to build resilience and thrive online.
This report explores how the mindful use of digital technology can benefit our wellbeing. Using the example of managing screen time, it shows the value of not just counting time spent online but also reflecting on what we are doing with that time and how that makes us feel.
This report’s research was conducted with the help of teens and parents from 5 countries: UK, Ireland, France, Germany and Italy. As such, it is available in French, German and Italian in addition to English.
We asked the teens we spoke to for examples of when they do and don’t feel in control and how this makes them feel. They told us that having agency makes them feel reassured, calm, and relaxed, able to feel self-esteem and autonomy. Lacking agency on the other hand, they told us, can lead to higher stress levels and regret.
It was common for the teens to feel they lacked agency, which they associated with feeling anxious and frustrated, guilty, powerless or weak.
When we asked the teens how they managed their screen time and how well that worked, they typically said they relied on self-discipline to manage their screen time and did not implement a specific approach.
Most teens wanted to take responsibility for their screen time themselves, without input from their parents. Only in Italy and Germany, did a small group of teens suggest it could be decided between parents and teens, especially if the teen was younger.
Teens generally accepted they needed help to exercise control in their screen time management. When asked what solutions or improvements could help, teens across all five countries centred on three areas:
1. More data about their usage
2. Designs which adapt to usage habits
3. Alerts
All of us have a part to play in supporting young people and families to feel empowered and in control online. There is a role for governments to set digital standards and facilitate digital literacy skills, for industry to enable safety and agency through design and for parents and carers to provide young people with guidance and support when they need it.
See related advice and practical tips to support children online:
