You know me best as Sky News’s political editor, but I am also a mum to two teenagers aged 13 and 16.
They were babies born into the age of the iPad, the smartphone and social media and have grown up in what I call the digital Wild West.
From the iPads when they were younger, to the smartphones at secondary school, raising children against the backdrop of the explosion of social media, gaming platforms, and artificial intelligence has been like trying to navigate a new frontier without a playbook.
It has been a constant battle to balance the benefits of using technology – be it creative play on Minecraft or Roblox – while trying to keep them safe in these spaces where chatrooms are rife and protect their growing minds.
I have had countless conversations with friends as we fret about the possible erosion of our kids’ attention spans or obsession with screens.
As my kids have got older, online platforms have given them a space to socialise with friends while gaming, or revise in groups online.
But I’ve also been confronted with the challenge of attempting to limit screen time and restrict – or ban – the use of social media, be it Snapchat, TikTok or Instagram. It’s made all the harder when all their peers are using these apps to communicate and socialise.
There is an almost intoxicating draw for this stuff for teens who naturally want to break boundaries, are led by their peers and want to impress. Social media impacts them and their relationships at a critical period of both exploration and vulnerability.
