That’s pretty much the definition of the job of parent. To control everything around the child and how they interact with things.

It’s not any more difficult than it ever was. For one thing, don’t give kids a smartphone until they’re at least 13, they have no need for one before then.

Similarly, up to that age, they should be taught how to use a computer and the internet, but only in a closely monitored, safe manner.

After 13 or there abouts, they are given more freedom and more responsibility to go along with it, and hopefully have been raised well enough to respect that.

From there, limitations and guide rails will remain in place, be it a traditional curfew in the evening, or a limitation of “screen time”, and if course of what the children interact with online.

Greater autonomy is earned through positive actions and mutual respect, too. Over time as they approach adulthood you will be able to loosen restrictions and worry less, as the strong person you’ve helped raise will be able to make their own decisions with greater confidence and more positive outcomes.

Mistakes will be made on all sides along the way, there will be joy, sorrow, anger, love, parenting is a learning experience for all parties, but in the end, if all goes well, you’ll have a well adjusted young adult who isn’t addicted to their mobile phone or any of the apps contained within, who understands the dangers of such things, and how easily addictions and a warping of reality within the mind can set in.

Eventually you have to let go, let them be adults and make their own decisions, but by then they’ll have this deep understanding of the dangers they face, and that’s the best defence they can have.

It still might not be enough, but all you can do as a parent is try to prepare them, from then on they have to make their own mistakes, you know?

Anyway yeah, that’s how I think about it :-)