Why Nighttime Internet Access Is a Parenting Issue, Not a Policy & Tech Issue
- The White Hatter
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
Today, we read a quote from an article published in the Irish Times, where the headline read, “If 83% of Irish children have access to the internet at night, that means the entire online world has access to 83% of Irish children at night.” (1) In this article the author stated:
“In Ireland, 83 per cent of our eight- to 12-year-olds have totally unrestricted access to the online world through smart devices in their bedrooms at night. More importantly, that means the entire online world has access to 83 per cent of our eight- to 12-year-olds - at night, every night. Who else do we allow into the beds of our primary-school children? Don’t kid yourself that it’s not the same thing; it is.”
The statistic deserves attention, however, the analogy does not. Conflating unmanaged technology with physical intrusion may grab attention from a click bait perspective, but it distracts from the real issue and, more importantly, from a solution that can be implemented immediately that will reduce such risks substantially.
The concern underneath the above noted quote is legitimate. Nighttime is when children are tired, less regulated, and more vulnerable. Judgment drops and impulse control weakens. Filters that work during the day are often bypassed when adults are asleep. That combination increases exposure risks, whether the issue is inappropriate content, contact from strangers, sleep disruption, or emotional dysregulation.
None of that requires extreme comparisons to understand. It requires acknowledging that youth do not need unrestricted, private access to internet connected devices behind closed doors at night, PERIOD!, and we would argue that this is primarily a parenting responsibility.
Case in point, we here at the White Hatter have now helped 350 youth (and their families), all under the age of 18, the youngest being 12, who were targeted for sextortion. In every case, and we mean every case, here’s what it looked like:
Youth or teen in their bedroom at night, on a smartphone or computer, connected to the internet, with no parental supervision or overwatch.
Comparing a device to a physical intruder blurs important distinctions. A smartphone is not a person. It does not have intent, agency, or consciousness. Treating technology as if it were a predator shifts responsibility away from adults and onto an abstract threat. Sure, the other person on the other side of the screen may have ill intent, but the device itself does not. However, providing a fully internet connected device to a youth or teen, especially at night in the privacy of their bedroom, creates an unsupervised access point that can be exploited by those with harmful intent.
That framing of a physical intruder creates fear, not clarity. Fear often leads to reactionary responses such as panic-driven policy, or parental paralysis. Clear thinking leads to boundaries, supervision, and skill building.
Good parenting has always meant shepherding environments children are not ready to manage alone, and the internet is simply the latest environment. We found it interesting, that parent and caregiver responsibility was not mentioned anywhere in the article.
The Irish article itself underscores the solution. The concern is not technology, but the decisions parents and caregivers make about access, supervision, and boundaries surrounding that use of technology, especially in bedrooms.
Parents and caregivers already regulate many nighttime activities without controversy. We decide bedtime, we control television access, we lock doors, and we set alarms. Managing devices at night belongs in the same category.
How about this one simple and effective steps to solve the 83 percent of eight to 12 year olds who have unrestricted internet access in their bedrooms at night that we promote.
“No internet-connected devices in bedrooms or bathroom no matter day or night”
This is a parenting responsibility, and not a legislative responsibility
This isn’t just about safety, it’s also about sleep which is not optional for children. It directly affects mood, learning, emotional regulation, and physical health. Devices in bedrooms interfere with sleep even when children insist they are not using them. Notifications, anticipation, and temptation all matter.
Removing devices at night supports healthy development while still allowing kids to use technology during the day in developmentally appropriate ways. This approach teaches balance rather than avoidance.
Some parents and caregivers worry that device rules feel invasive or authoritarian. The opposite is true. Structure creates safety, and safety allows independence to grow over time.
Youth and teens do not learn self-regulation by being handed adult level freedom before they are ready. They learn it through guided practice, boundaries, and gradual release of responsibility.
The question shouldn't just be, “who are we letting into our children’s bedrooms via technology?” The greater question should be, “are parents and caregivers actively managing the environments they place their children in when providing devices that were never designed for youth or younger teens, especially at night?”
If a youth or teen has unrestricted access to the entire online world at night, the solution is not outrage or dramatic metaphors. The solution is parenting the device that allows them to do so, and that is within every parent or caregiver’s control, starting tonight. Be your child’s best parent and not their best friend on this issue!
Do we think that technology and social media vendors need to be regulated? ABSOLUTELY! However, the approach to regulation and the reasoning behind it matter, and we have discussed those considerations in depth elsewhere (2)
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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