A communications strategist and mental health advocate with expertise in digital literacy has spoken on the importance of education around the dangers of social media in light of a landmark child-exploitation ruling against Meta.

Sloane Johnson, a former co-ordinator of the Government’s soon-to-be relaunched digital literacy programme, Cybertips, posted on her LinkedIn page warning that Bermuda’s young people face the same dangers online as in the rest of the world.

She spoke to The Royal Gazette about how parents can protect their children.

Her comments came after Meta, a global social-media and communications conglomerate, was ordered to pay $375 million having been found liable by a New Mexico jury for civil penalties.

Jurors found that the company misled users about the safety of its platforms and enabled harm, including child sexual exploitation, against them.

Ms Johnson, also a former interim executive director at Connectech Coding, has been instrumental in advancing technology education in Bermuda.

She owns and leads Oath International, an organisation focused on the power of restorative practices in schools and workplaces, which includes in its remit policy development that fosters the responsible and ethical use of social media.

In her LinkedIn post, she said: “This isn’t just another lawsuit; this is a shift in how we understand social media.

“For years, the conversation has been ‘kids need to spend less time on their phones’, but this case reframes the issue entirely.

“It’s not just about usage; it’s about design.

“Features like infinite scroll, autoplay and algorithm-driven content aren’t accidental; they are intentionally built to keep users engaged for as long as possible, and our Bermudian young people are feeling the impact.

“Our adults are impacted as well.

“As someone who has spent years working in online safety, digital literacy and leading initiatives like Cybertips here in Bermuda, I’ve had countless conversations with young people about their online habits.”

Ms Johnson said that children using social media to excess do not feel in control, know the apps are pulling them in, and that they are spending more time on them than they want to.

She noted that they are aware that the habit is affecting their sleep, focus and sometimes even their self-worth.

Ms Johnson added: “This is no longer just a tech conversation; it’s a mental health conversation, a design ethics conversation, a public responsibility conversation.”

She said that while the case was in the US, its implications had global reach, including in Bermuda, because the island’s young people use the same platforms, with the same features and the same risks.

“So what do we do?” Ms Johnson asked.

“We move beyond simply telling young people to log off. We teach digital awareness and responsible use, not just digital rules, help young people understand how platforms are designed to influence them and encourage intentional use, not passive scrolling.

“We need to hold companies accountable but also reflect on our own engagement habits.

“The harsh reality is that social media is not neutral; it is designed, it is engineered and now it is being challenged.”

Ms Johnson told The Royal Gazette that most smartphones come with parental controls that should be engaged and that parents must educate themselves about the apps their children are using.

“Have full access to your child’s phone and check it on a regular basis,” she advised. “Know your child’s password, get involved.

“You cannot register a phone until you are 18 so it is important to understand that the child’s legal guardian is legally responsible for any crimes committed on the phone such as harassment or child pornography.”

Ms Johnson said that useful resources include the US-based website www.commonsensemedia.org which includes ratings and parent reviews for digital content, and guidance on technology development and safety.

Parents can also visit code.org/en-US/hour-of-code, which teaches artificial intelligence literacy and includes coding challenges for all age groups.

Ms Johnson acknowledged that children have access to technology in school as part of their assignments.

She suggested that parents talk to their children’s teachers to find out how the technology is used or what educational games can be recommended specifically for each child.

Ms Johnson said it was important that adults model the behaviour they expect from their children.

She added: “The biggest point is we as adults lead by example. If you are constantly on your phone, they will want to do the same.

“Ask yourself, when was the last time they saw you pick up a book or do some work in the garden?

“I find that when I am talking to my daughter, I either put my phone in my back pocket or put it down otherwise she knows she doesn’t have my undivided attention.”

Ms Johnson also acknowledged that parents often juggle busy lives and permitting some screen time for children allows them to carry out important chores.

However, she said, time can be freed up by practices such as preparing meals in advance or laying out the week’s clothes at the weekend.

The Ministry of the Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation confirmed that preparations for the relaunch of Cybertips were “well under way” and that it has identified a preferred vendor.

In a ministerial statement in Parliament on March 20 about the relaunch of Cybertips, Diallo Rabain, the digital innovation minister, said: “Across the world, we see increasing concerns about cyberbullying, harmful content, misinformation and the use of personal data.

“At the same time, we know that digital tools open up powerful opportunities for learning, creativity and future employment.

“Our responsibility is not to fear this world nor to ignore it. We must equip our children, support our families and ensure the right protections are in place …

“Cybertips is about helping people make better decisions in a world that is not slowing down.”

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The House of Assembly also heard last month that about two thirds of 200 senior school students who attended the Big Up Yaself national youth conference reported spending more than five hours a day on screens.

Almost four fifths of that time was spent on social media, the students said, most revealing that parents or guardians did not monitor their screen activity.

A grassroots organisation called Smartphone Free Childhood has also been launched, calling on parents to restrict their children’s smartphone and social-media use.