Estonian Op-Ed: Bans Alone Will Not Solve Smartphone Dependence
In a commentary for Estonian public broadcaster ERR, Mikk Artur Mikfelt argues that blanket limits on young people's access to social media and smartphones will not solve the problem. He calls for teaching sensible use of digital tools and points to the role of parents.
Proposals in the European Union and restrictions in Estonian schools aim to limit young people's use of social media and smartphones. The goals are good, but bans alone will not change the situation. That is the argument of Mikk Artur Mikfelt in an opinion piece published by Estonian public broadcaster ERR. What follows summarizes his views, not conclusions of the news outlet.
The EU and Estonian context
In November 2025, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding document calling for an age limit on social media use in the EU. According to the author, in September 2026 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented an initiative to restrict young people's access to social networks.
In Estonia, since 1 September 2025, schools have been legally required to draw up principles, together with the community and the board of trustees, on which the smartphone rules in their house rules are based. Schools have taken different approaches, from greater freedom to strict limits.
The author's arguments
Mikfelt acknowledges that excessive use of social media and smartphones can be harmful: it can impair concentration, build unhealthy habits and take time from activities important for development. But he argues that bans are often circumvented when a teenager sees them as unfair. A phone may be used in secret, and on social media a user may give a false age or use someone else's account. He cites a 2023 European Parliament document, which acknowledges that existing age-verification methods can be bypassed and raise accuracy and privacy concerns.
He also stresses that not every student uses a phone for games or scrolling. Some use it during breaks to revise lessons, read the news, talk to friends from other schools or briefly disconnect. In his view, blanket restrictions make responsible young people pay for those who misuse their devices.
Teach rather than only prohibit
Mikfelt says schools and families should teach sensible use of these tools, since digital literacy develops through practice and discussion. He adds that children pick up habits from the environment they grow up in and from the example they see at home, so responsibility should not fall on young people alone.
