The smartphone dilemma – TikTok, Snapchat and how to protect your kids | DW Documentary
Many children and teenagers spend hours every day on Instagram, TikTok or other platforms. More and more families and schools are setting clear boundaries to counter the constant distraction of social media.
Studies have linked excessive smartphone use to depression, anxiety, and difficulties concentrating. This documentary follows several families and schools that greatly restrict smartphone use for children and young people. Martin and Ursula Novotny in Sevelen, Switzerland, are convinced that phones and social media are just as addictive as alcohol or drugs. They waited until their children were older before giving them a cell phone of their own. The Lyceum Alpinum boarding school in Switzerland is equally strict: During the day, all devices remain locked away; older students get their cell phones back after class, while younger students only get them for two hours in the evening. The result: The children are significantly less distracted in class and have actual conversations at breaktime. How much screen time is healthy, and at what age does it make sense to give a child a smartphone? Child and adolescent psychotherapist Nady Mirian explains which parental rules work for social media. The schools and families featured in the documentary are not opposed to new technologies, but they advocate responsible use. Is it still realistic for children today to grow up without a smartphone — and could it actually be preferable?
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Video “The smartphone dilemma – TikTok, Snapchat and how to protect your kids | DW Documentary” was uploaded on 10/28/2025 by DW Documentary Youtube channel.