Banning Social Media Teaches Children to Lie, Says Estonian Expert

An Estonian media expert has warned that banning children from social media platforms teaches them to become deceptive rather than addressing the underlying issues with online behavior. Maria Murumaa-Mengel argues that social media serves as a learning space where people observe behavioral norms, and while users may encounter toxic content, creating boundaries and modeling better behavior provides a healthier alternative to outright prohibition. The expert is scheduled to speak at the Eduforum conference in Bratislava in October, where she will likely expand on approaches to digital literacy and responsible social media use among young people.