A growing number of young adults who grew up with smartphones are now questioning whether they'd give their own kids the same unfettered access to technology. The article highlights harrowing experiences—like being exposed to violent extremist content, pornography, and even grooming by predators—that have left many digital natives wary. One 18-year-old reflects that even tech-savvy parents from her childhood were blindsided by the darker corners of the internet.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just another "screen time bad" think piece—it’s a generational reckoning. The first wave of smartphone-raised kids are now old enough to ask: "Would I put my child through what I endured?" Their answers reveal just how unprepared society was (and still is) for the psychological toll of growing up online. It’s a wake-up call for parents and tech companies alike.