On September 11, 2025, I had the opportunity to give a keynote address at the Media Psychology Division’s 14th Conference of the German Psychological Association in Duisburg, Germany.
In my talk, “Why Competence — Not Control — Should Guide the Future,” I reflected on the growing global momentum to restrict young people’s access to social media. While I understand the fears driving these discussions, my message was clear: blanket bans are not the solution.
Instead, I argued that we need to shift our focus toward digital competence—the critical, confident, and safe use of technology. If we want to support young people, then policies, platform design, and education must empower them with skills and agency, not simply shut doors.
A few of the points I emphasized:
- Bans can harm more than they help, often limiting rights without addressing underlying issues.
- Digital competence should be at the center of our collective response—across families, schools, platforms, and policymakers.
- Evidence, not alarmist rhetoric, must guide how we move forward.
For me, this was an opportunity to remind our field (and hopefully, beyond) that the future of digital life cannot be built on fear and control. It must be grounded in competence, collaboration, and thoughtful design. With this in mind, I offered the field some questions that I hope they eagerly tackle in the years ahead. My dear colleague, Caleb, wrapped up the talk with this hilarious quote:
Curious about banana chicken and more? Reach out for a copy of the slides!