Students at Kruununha Upper School discuss digital well-being during live-streamed lesson in Helsinki

On Wednesday morning, students at Kruununha Upper School in Helsinki experienced a unique shift in their lesson theme. Following a brief physics class, their task was to reflect on digital well-being topics during a live-streamed lesson shared with over 400 schools. Discussions included the effects of smart devices on the brain, screen time, cybersecurity, and online bullying.

Ninth-grader Aurelio Vatanen found particular resonance in the segment about friends and social media. He noted he spends about two hours daily on the short video app TikTok. “The lesson offered a new perspective. When you use something every day, you kind of forget about it,” Vatanen explained.

Brain researcher Mona Moisala opened the session by comparing smart devices and certain apps to candy, which provides pleasure and can be addictive. Vatanen acknowledged this observation but stressed that he has set limits for himself, such as avoiding smartphone use late at night.

Classmate Paul Miettinen admitted he often overuses smart devices, favoring TikTok and YouTube. “When I wake up, I start watching shows, and I might even watch something while eating or doing homework,” Miettinen said. He emphasized that more discussions are needed about online bullying, which has become normalized in social media culture.

Elvira Komonen noted the benefits of smart devices as well, saying they provide inspiration for her drawing hobby. She agreed that the topics of digital well-being were mostly familiar.

The lesson was part of the “Superdigikoulu” event organized by the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare and telecommunications company Elisa, with over 70,000 students participating across Finland. A recent study revealed that 55% of young people feel they do not manage their phone and internet usage well—a figure that has doubled in four years.