Kids don’t need more screens locked down — they need real space to grow online

Jules Polonetsky, CEO of the Future of Privacy Forum, says locking down kids’ screens with endless parental controls isn’t enough. It’s not just about blocking content or setting time limits. What kids need is room to learn, mess up, and connect — without being watched like suspects.

Right now, apps and platforms treat minors like vulnerable assets to be protected, not like people learning how to navigate the world. Every click gets tracked. Every post gets scored. Every DM gets scanned. But when you turn the internet into a surveillance zone, you don’t just keep kids safe — you silence them.

Parents, teachers, and even lawmakers are pushing for more filters, more age gates, more apps that monitor. But who’s asking the kids what they actually need? What happens when a 14-year-old can’t post a selfie without a parent’s approval? Or when a 12-year-old’s art project gets flagged for "inappropriate content" because of a single word?

Safety shouldn’t mean isolation. It should mean guidance — not control. Community — not censorship.

Why this matters for us: Our kids are growing up online, and if we keep treating their digital lives like a prison, we’ll raise a generation afraid to speak, create, or be themselves.