When rightwing commentator Charlie Kirk was killed last month, footage of his shooting spread rapidly across social media. Today, anyone with a smartphone can access gruesome videos and images – as well as troves of misinformation. Though some experts have been sounding the alarm about the potential harm of smartphones on children and teen’s mental health, the fact is most young people still have access to phones – and the often disturbing content that flows out of them.
The Guardian spoke with seven experts on how best to speak with kids about upsetting content and news, at what age to start those conversations – and what to avoid.
