When Hyperbolic Cartoons Shape the Conversation: A Closer Look at How We Portray Youth and Technology In Media
- The White Hatter
- 2 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Today, a cartoon titled “The Devolution of Modern Adolescence,” originally published in 2021 by Bob Moran (1), came across one of our social media feeds.
Not long after, a second cartoon by Graeme MacKay, published in 2024 in The Hamilton Spectator (2), and later featured in outlets like the Toronto Star, also appeared.
Different artists, different moments in time, yet both shared a common theme, and one that parents and caregivers are seeing more and more in media and online spaces. Youth portrayed as something less than themselves.
In both cartoons, young people are depicted as “zombie” like or “troll” like figures, hunched over devices, disconnected, and diminished. In one panel, a teen attributes how they feel to “too much blue light” affecting their hormones. That kind of messaging might land as humour or satire with adults, but it also reinforces a deeper narrative, one that suggests today’s youth are passive, impaired, and somehow “less than” because of their relationship with technology.
When we step away from the imagery and look at the current, good evidence based research, the picture is far more nuanced. Claims about bluelight from smartphones causing significant hormonal disruption, for example, are often overstated. While excessive nighttime screen use can impact sleep, the idea that everyday exposure to blue light from a phone is broadly harming adolescent biology is not strongly supported by current research (3)(4).
What stood out even more was not just the cartoons themselves, but how they were being used. Both images were widely reshared by individuals and groups on social media who were advocating for sweeping policy changes, such as banning cellphones in schools or introducing strict age gating laws for social media access in Canada, similar to those proposed in places like Australia.
This is where something important happens, a visual becomes a narrative, a narrative becomes a belief, and over time that belief can influence public opinion, policy decisions, and how we, as adults, talk about young people. This is often how moral panics take shape, not through a single piece of content, but through repetition, reinforcement, and emotional resonance.
At The White Hatter, we have had the opportunity to work directly with more than 680,000 youth and teens across Canada. Not once have we met a young person who resembles the caricatures often portrayed in these types of cartoons, what we do see are a majority of young people who are:
Building friendships and communities online
Learning new skills and exploring interests
Navigating challenges, sometimes successfully, sometimes with support
Trying to make sense of a digital world they didn’t create, but fully inhabit
Are there youth who struggle with their technology use? Absolutely! Problematic use exists, just as it does in many areas of life, and something that we speak to frequently. However, it’s not the norm, and it’s certainly not the defining characteristic of an entire generation.
One of the consistent messages we hear from teens is frustrations, in fact we heard it from another teen that we were having a discussion with about how he and his friends use technology, the internet, and social media. Not frustration with rules or boundaries, but with how their lived experiences are often misunderstood or misrepresented by adults!
When a youth or teen’s world is framed primarily through fear based narratives or exaggerated depictions, it creates a disconnect. It becomes harder to have meaningful conversations because the starting point is no longer shared understanding, it’s assumption.
Many parents and caregivers are trying to make sense of a rapidly evolving digital landscape, and that’s understandable. However, when uncertainty is filled with worst case portrayals rather than balanced information, it can lead us away from the very thing young people need most from us, which is informed guidance, not reactive judgement.
This article is not about dismissing concerns around technology, there are real issues that deserve our attention. Platform design, privacy, exposure to harmful content, and online exploitation are all areas where awareness, education, action, and legislative solutions are important. However, if we allow exaggerated or dehumanizing portrayals to drive the conversation, we risk missing the bigger picture such as:
Oversimplifying complex issues
Supporting policies that feel good but may not do good
Undermining the relationship between adults and youth
A more effective approach starts with curiosity, so instead of asking, “What’s wrong with this generation?”, we might ask, “What skills do they need to navigate this world well?” Instead of assuming harm, we look for good and repeatable evidence, and instead of defaulting to restriction, we focus on awareness and preparation.
We get it, cartoons are meant to provoke thought, and in that sense, they serve a purpose. However, when those portrayals begin to shape how we see an entire generation, it’s worth taking a step back. Youth and teens today are not tech zombies, and they are not tech trolls. They are navigating a complex, connected onlife world in real time, often with more awareness than we give them credit for.
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
Facts Not Fear, Facts Not Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech
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