Why Competence — Not Control — Should Guide the Future

Jessica Taylor Piotrowski, University of Amsterdam

Professor, Communication in the Digital Society

As concerns about youth digital wellbeing intensify, social media bans are gaining traction — often fueled more by moral panic and misinformation than by empirical evidence. While the risks of overuse are real, blanket bans risk oversimplifying complex challenges and ignoring the opportunities these media environments offer for learning and growth. This keynote challenges the growing culture of control and makes the case for a future grounded in digital competence and wellbeing-by-design. Drawing on research in developmental media psychology, communication science, and regulatory frameworks such as the Digital Services Act (Article 28), the talk reframes digital engagement as a space not only for risk but for learning, identity exploration, and skill-building. Empowering youth through competence — and designing media environments that actively facilitate wellbeing — offers a more effective, sustainable, and rights-respecting path forward.