SINGAPORE – By Primary 3, Xander Lee was spending hours scrolling through Instagram and Telegram on his phone, instead of doing his homework or sleeping.
He had received his first phone from his parents in Primary 1, much earlier than most of his friends. While it was meant to ensure he was always contactable, he was also given unrestricted access and no guidance on how to use the device.
“I was unaware that I was actually getting addicted, so I started relying a lot on social media for the dopamine high,” said Xander, 18, who is pursuing a diploma in film, sound and video at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
Looking back, he believes his parents simply did not realise the risks.
“I don’t think my parents did not see a need to restrict anything. It was more that they were unaware, because they’re not as tech savvy, and not as updated with the concerns of online usage,” said Xander.
He was one of about 75 youth who joined an engagement session with the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) on Jul 4, to gather views on the Government’s plans to create safer online environments for children.
Held at the Suntec Convention Centre, the participants aged between 13 and 35 years spent more than two hours discussing topics including whether a tiered access approach would make social media platforms safer for young users, and what levels of access children of different age groups should have.
Upcoming sessions organised by MDDI in July include a dialogue with parents and a forum on online safety held together with the Institute of Policy Studies.
Speaking to media after the July 4 session, Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam said the ministry hopes the insights from these ongoing efforts will help shape legislation to effectively keep children safe online.
She added that it is also important to understand young people’s perspectives.
“I was struck by how mature and digitally sophisticated our young people are. (They are) aware of all the online harms, privacy concerns and misinformation. They are a lot more sophisticated than many of us would think,” she said.
She said that many youth participants preferred a tiered approach to regulating social media access to blanket bans, like the one implemented in Australia in December 2025, which bans those under 16 from social media platforms.
“They are also cognisant of the fact that legislation can only do so much,” said Rahayu, adding that it is also important to engage and equip parents, so that they can support their children in the digital space.
When Xander’s academic grades slipped and he developed insomnia, he knew he had to make a change.
In Sec 1, he asked his mother to set screen time limits on his phone, knowing that he lacked the discipline to cut back on his own.
Like Xander, other youth who took part in the dialogue said parents and the community need better education on digital literacy.
Aiden Chua, a 15-year-old from Catholic High School, said many adults underestimate youth’s understanding of online risks.
“They think that we are just brainless people scrolling on social media… like we don’t know the risks. But we do know the risks, and we want to do something about it,” he said.
Unlike Xander, Aiden’s parents gave him his first phone in Sec 1, with strict screen time limits which prevented him from using it after 7pm on schooldays.
This caused tension between him and his parents, especially on days when he stayed back for co-curricular activities and returned home much later.
Things improved after he spoke to his parents about his needs and they agreed on a more flexible arrangement.
Another participant, Eric Law, a 22-year-old information systems undergraduate at the Singapore Management University, highlighted the need for a societal approach to regulating social media, emphasising the roles of governments and parents.
He pointed to the new Online Safety Commission, a one-stop agency launched on June 29 to help victims of online harms secure swift content takedowns and restrict offender accounts, as an example of stronger regulatory standards.
He also cited initiatives by organisations to address screen use concerns.
Even so, he feels more can be done to encourage parents to have open conversations with children about social media use.
While he supports stricter safeguards for children under 14, he said parents should be able to decide, together with their children, how those safeguards are applied.
“Then you are able to actually have these conversations to say, what is allowed and what’s not, because every family has their own different circumstances,” said Eric.
