Henriette Hørlücks School in Odense bans social media use for students under 13 years old

Students under 13 years old at Henriette Hørlücks School in Odense are no longer allowed to use social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram. The school has implemented this ban due to growing concerns over students encountering inappropriate comments and being excluded from peer groups.

To support the prohibition, the school is asking parents to sign a contract committing to the ban and restricting social media use at home. The headmaster of the school, Henrik Nannested Jørgensen, noted that the institution has faced an increasing number of issues related to young students interacting on social media, where many children under 13 already maintain profiles despite age restrictions.

Opinions among parents are mixed. One parent, Dorthe Yilmaz, supports the initiative, highlighting the potential dangers of social media for children. Conversely, other parents, like Stephanie Thulstrup, feel disheartened that such measures are necessary, suggesting it should be the parents’ responsibility to monitor their children’s online activities. Henrik Møller Madsen expressed ambivalence, agreeing with the school’s intentions but hesitating to sign the contract until they are fully on board with the measures.

Psychologist Aida Bikic supports the school’s initiative, stressing the importance of delaying children’s exposure to social media, as earlier exposure can negatively impact their well-being and increase the likelihood of addiction. The school hopes that this collective effort will help create a supportive environment for parents and students, making it easier to enforce boundaries regarding social media use. If the school discovers students using social media despite the ban, they will engage in discussions with both the child and their parents.