Our obsession with technology is failing our children

Margarita Louis-Dreyfus is chairperson of the Louis-Dreyfus Group and chair of Human Change Foundation.

For too long, our society has celebrated technological innovation without asking fundamental questions about its effect on us.

From social media to online dating and e-learning, digital tech’s rapid acceleration is driving a colossal cultural shift in how people interact, all while promising to unleash human potential and improve connectivity. And just last month, DeepSeek astonished investors as China challenged the U.S. over AI dominance, sending shock waves through the market.

Yet, when tech ethicist and Centre of Humane Technology co-founder Tristan Harris warned a room full of CEOs in Davos that an “AI tsunami is coming,” bringing both substantial advantages and significant risks with it, his message served as a sobering reminder to question the human impact of this technological revolution.

The cultural shift we’re currently experiencing is leading to what I refer to as a “human change.” Just like global climate change requires our full attention to tackle it, the changes happening to humanity — our children and younger generations, in particular — should come as a warning that if we don’t act now to stop it, we’ll be faced with the consequences in the future. Manipulative algorithms, addictive design features and business models rooted in the “attention economy” are draining human potential — not enhancing it.

And the greatest risk is to our children.

Countless studies show that children today spend more time in the virtual world than engaging in face-to-face exchange, which is contributing to an epidemic of loneliness and a loss of essential social skills — including emotional intelligence, resilience and the ability to nurture in-person relationships.

The problem is clear: We’re facing a technological revolution that’s undermining our children’s potential and fueling loneliness. | Leon Neal/Getty Images

On average, American teens spend up to nine hours per day watching or using screens, nearly five of which are spent on social media. And the impact this has on children’s brain development is profound: Research from the Winston Center shows that frequent exposure to social media heightens over-sensitivity to social feedback, leading to increased anxiety compared to children with less exposure. Similarly, Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist and author of “The Anxious Generation,” has warned that excessive smartphone and digital device use is making young people less focused and increasingly ill-equipped to navigate real-world challenges.

This isn’t just about the distant future — it’s something that’s already happening. Employers are increasingly reluctant to hire Gen-Z workers due to poor problem-solving skills, communication issues, lack of attention span and inability to handle criticism. In the U.S., companies have noted that recent college graduates struggle with eye contact during interviews — a consequence of a generation that’s had most of its relationships mediated through a screen.

That’s why Harris’s remarks at Davos resonated so strongly. Speaking at Future House, a joint space between Human Change — my global advocacy campaign raising awareness about technology’s impact on children’s well-being — and Project Liberty, an organization working toward a better internet, Harris’s warning was in stark contrast to his surroundings. While tech companies had plotted themselves all over the Davos Promenade, competing over AI dominance, he warned against a future that’s tech-controlled rather than human-led and the repercussions that would have. 

The problem is clear: We’re facing a technological revolution that’s undermining our children’s potential and fueling loneliness. Addressing this isn’t just a parental concern but a societal one.

Parents can act by delaying smartphone and social media use until their children reach the age of 16. Meanwhile, schools worldwide should ban smartphones on their premises, as evidence shows that phone-free environments improve focus, academic performance and mental health.

Governments must also step up, strengthening regulations to hold tech companies accountable and uphold a “duty of care.” Australia’s move to ban social media for children under 16 sets a strong example here, while laws like the U.K.’s Online Safety Act and the EU’s Digital Services Act need to be expanded to address emerging AI-related risks.

But above all, tech companies must do better.

Instead of simply embracing innovation unthinkingly, they must ensure the safety of our children is prioritized in their product designs and overall business ethos. Those that fail to act will face a wave of lawsuits — like the recent case against Character.AI for harming children, or the litigation against TikTok over child deaths linked to its Blackout Challenge — and beyond damaging their reputation, this will eventually take a toll on their bottom line.

Ultimately, the next generation’s well-being must be at the heart of both business and political agendas. Prioritizing children’s resilience amid this technological revolution isn’t just a moral imperative — it’s essential for the future of our societies.