Children and technology: Why AI needs literacy, not a blanket ban

Children and technology: Why AI needs literacy, not a blanket ban

There is a growing contradiction in how we view children and technology. While we believe children need protection from social media, schools are being encouraged to prepare them for a world where artificial intelligence (AI) will be pervasive. A recent Ipsos Education Monitor 2026 survey reveals this tension. Eighty percent of Indians surveyed support banning social media for children under 14, whereas only 26 percent favor banning AI tools like ChatGPT from schools. Only 61 percent oppose such a ban.

As a child psychologist, I find this contradiction unsurprising. Children's experiences with technology vary greatly. A platform designed to keep a child scrolling, checking, comparing, and seeking more social validation is different from a tool that helps a student understand a challenging concept, generate questions, or explore an unfamiliar subject. The device may look the same in a child's hand, but the psychological impact can be vastly different.

Screen time has been the primary focus of discussions about children's technology use, but this is an inadequate measure. Two hours spent watching curated videos, checking notifications, and comparing oneself with peers is not the same as two hours spent creating, researching, learning a language, or engaging with AI under a teacher's guidance. The key is how the technology impacts a child's attention, sleep, relationships, emotional regulation, and sense of self.

Social media's challenges are compounded by its impact on a child's social identity. For adolescents, peer approval is crucial, and the environment of social comparison can be heightened. The continuous nature of a social media feed, with no natural stopping point, poses a significant challenge for a developing brain still learning executive functions like impulse control, planning, and delayed gratification.

When it comes to the classroom, AI presents a different set of questions. While social media can become an integral part of a child's identity, AI can be a tool for deeper learning. Using AI to ask questions, explain difficult concepts, or identify errors can enhance learning. However, relying too heavily on AI can lead to cognitive passivity, where students outsource every difficult cognitive task, affecting their ability to handle uncertainty and intellectual struggle.

This highlights the need for AI literacy that also includes psychological literacy. Children must understand when technology assists their thinking and when it does the thinking for them. Blaming social media for all adolescent mental health issues oversimplifies the matter. Factors like family relationships, academic pressure, loneliness, peer dynamics, socioeconomic circumstances, sleep, temperament, and access to psychological support also play significant roles.

Social media can exacerbate vulnerability, intensify social comparison, expose young people to harmful content, and make social rejection feel unavoidable. However, removing an app does not guarantee the development of connection, confidence, or emotional security. The emotional development of children cannot be outsourced to legislation.

Parents must create boundaries, schools must teach emotional and digital literacy, and adults must observe changes in a child's behavior. Adults should also examine their own behavior.