Mottley speaks out on negative effects of social media

Prime Minister Mia Mottley has warned that the rise of social media and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, has weakened meaningful communication between adults and young people, as she called for stronger boundaries and more deliberate guidance in their development.

Speaking on Saturday during the opening of a state-of-the-art residential facility for young people aged 12 to 18 at Holders Hill, St James, she said, “We’ve had clearly 15 years of addiction to social media, which makes the conversation even that much more difficult but not impossible,” while noting that technology has distorted reality and negatively impacted young people’s self-perception.

“We are at a stage, not just in Barbados but across the world, where many young people sometimes feel rudderless and not rooted… because of the extent to which technology can perfect images and can make many things unreal.”

Mottley stressed the need to reintroduce discipline, responsibility and core values within households, pointing to her own upbringing as an example of structure and accountability.

She argued that raising children requires active parenting grounded in “firm love”, adding, “Children need guardrails. Children need examples. Children need opportunities.”

She maintained that youth development cannot be left to institutions alone, insisting that families and communities must play a central role in shaping behaviour and values. “Children will not go to Sunday school on their own. Children need to be carried there. Children need firm love,” she said.

The Prime Minister described adolescence as “the bridge to adulthood that can make you or break you” and underscored the importance of targeted support during those formative years.

She said the responsibility to guide young people rests not only with government but across society and urged a collective approach to parenting and mentorship to ensure better outcomes for the next generation. (SZB)