Ahmed Othman has never used TikTok. He doesn’t even want to.
That might sound strange for a teenager today. But there’s a reason behind his choice. His story can help parents who are worried about their kids and social media.
When Ahmed and his sister got their first iPhones in middle school, there were rules. No social media, just iMessage. Their parents, who are computer scientists, didn’t stop there. They spent a whole year teaching their kids about the dangers of social media. They showed them many studies about how it can harm teenagers’ mental health.
“They told us that social media is just a tool. But it can become your enemy if you let it,” Ahmed said.
Now, at 17, Ahmed feels lucky. He says his parents’ guidance helped him build a “healthy relationship” with his phone. That includes staying away from TikTok.
“The TikTok algorithm is too strong. I think it won’t help me,” he said.
But Ahmed’s story is rare. Most teens don’t get this kind of training. Almost two-thirds of teens are on TikTok, with or without their parents’ okay.
Pew Research Center
So what did Ahmed’s parents do differently? And can other families follow this path?
The Middle Path: Not a Ban, Not Full Freedom
Banning social media doesn’t work for most families. But giving kids full freedom is risky too. Experts say the best way is a middle path.
“You can’t expect kids to figure out social media on their own. They need to learn how to use it safely.”
Natalie Bazarova
Kids need to understand the risks. They need to practice good habits. And they need to learn in a way that makes sense for their age.
This slow and careful approach is becoming popular. It helps kids get ready for the digital world, instead of throwing them in without help.
Why Social Media Can Be Harmful
We’ve known for years that social media can hurt kids. Since Facebook started, many studies have shown that spending too much time online can cause anxiety and depression in teens.
Kids are also exposed to bad content. This includes violence, bullying, and even strangers trying to contact them. Teenagers are more affected because their brains are still growing. Even happy posts from friends can make them feel sad by comparing themselves.
Lawmakers have noticed these problems. They’ve held several meetings in Congress about child safety online. But the last law to protect kids online was passed in 1998 — long before Facebook was even created.
In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned that we don’t have enough proof that social media is safe for kids. He asked policymakers to treat this issue seriously, like they do with baby formula or car seats.
Parents try their best, but they can’t do it alone.
When Parents Do Everything Right… And It’s Still Not Enough
Neveen Radwan thought she did everything right. She set limits on her kids’ phones. She knew all their passwords. She made sure their accounts were private. She even took their phones away at night.
Her daughter didn’t get a phone until she was 13. She started using social media in eighth grade. But when she was 16, she developed anorexia.
It was during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Her daughter was at home and spending more time online. She looked for fitness tips on Instagram. But soon, harmful content appeared. Posts about extreme dieting and dangerous challenges flooded her feed.
In just a few months, Radwan’s daughter ended up in the hospital.
Radwan now speaks publicly about the dangers of social media. She also joined a lawsuit against Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram. Thankfully, her daughter recovered and is now in college.
Radwan
Can Schools Help Teach Kids Digital Safety?
Parents are a big part of the solution. But they can’t do it all.
Many teens and experts believe that schools should teach “digital citizenship.” This means teaching kids how to stay safe online, spot fake news, handle cyberbullying, and manage social media use.
Bao Le, an 18-year-old student at Vanderbilt University, said, “We have sex education in schools. But no one teaches us about online safety. Yet, many kids are dying because of online bullying and sextortion.”
Some schools offer digital safety classes, but not many. Teachers are already overworked with regular subjects and face staff shortages.
Some schools try to ban phones. But students find ways around it. Some give fake phones to teachers or borrow a friend’s device. Others use burner phones that their parents don’t know about.
Ignoring social media is not a solution. “Kids are facing these issues every day. We need to talk to them about it, not pretend it doesn’t exist.”
Merve Lapus
Lapus also says it’s important to understand the pressures kids face. “If we only talk about the bad side of social media, kids feel we don’t understand them. They stop listening.”
How Nonprofits Are Helping
With schools and parents struggling, nonprofits are stepping in.
Larissa May, who founded HalfTheStory, knows how social media can take over a teen’s life. In high school, she spent more than 12 hours a day on her phone. She became so focused on her online image that her mental and physical health suffered.
May reached a breaking point. Despite seeing psychiatrists, no one told her to change her phone habits. One night, she realized that her constant phone use was stopping her from healing.
She decided to shut down her fashion blog and started HalfTheStory in 2015. The goal? To collect stories from young people about their struggles with social media and teach them how to build a healthier relationship with technology.
Today, HalfTheStory helps middle schoolers before they even get their first phone.
May believes banning social media isn’t the answer. “Most teens I work with say they wish their parents had set more boundaries. But parents are scared of fighting over devices.”
Banning Doesn’t Work. Teaching Does.
The main lesson from all these stories is simple: You can’t solve this problem by banning social media.
Kids will find ways to use it, even if you try to block it. The real solution is teaching them how to use it wisely. That takes time, patience, and honest conversations.
Families like the Othmans succeeded because they stayed involved and guided their children step-by-step. But not every family has the time or skills to do this alone.
Experts believe that parents, schools, lawmakers, and nonprofits all need to work together. Only then can we give kids the tools they need to navigate the digital world safely.
“Hope is not a strategy.”
Merve Lapus
