Estonian opinion: bans alone will not solve smartphone addiction

In an opinion piece published by ERR News, the Estonian public broadcaster's English-language service, author Mikk Artur Mikfelt criticises the idea that young people's use of social media and smart devices can be fixed through bans. The piece responds to debates in the European Union and in Estonian schools about limiting how much time children and teenagers spend on screens.

Restrictions already in place

In November 2025, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding report calling for an EU-wide age limit for social media use. According to the article, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has presented an approach aimed at restricting young people's use of social media. Meanwhile, since 1 September 2025, Estonian schools have been legally required to work with the community and the school board to set the principles behind school rules on smart devices. Schools have taken different approaches, from greater freedom to strict limits.

The author's arguments

Mikfelt acknowledges that excessive use of social media and smart devices can harm concentration, build unhealthy habits and take time from activities important for development. However, he argues that bans do not make undesirable behaviour disappear, especially when young people do not accept their usefulness. He cites alcohol prohibition in the United States from 1920 to 1933 and the restrictions on free speech during the Soviet occupation of Estonia.

He says young people can bypass rules by using a device secretly, giving a false age or using someone else's account. He refers to a 2023 European Parliament report on online age verification, which acknowledges that existing mechanisms can be circumvented and involve accuracy and privacy problems.

He adds that a phone at recess can be used to review study material, read news, listen to music or contact friends, and that social media also holds educational content. In his view, uniform restrictions make responsible users bear the consequences of those who misuse the technology.

The role of parents

Mikfelt believes school and home should teach wise use of digital tools, and that responsibility cannot rest only on young people. He notes that children learn habits from their environment, and that handing a child a screen as a routine answer to boredom can turn into a lasting habit.