The Belonging Form has convened two conversations on a question that is becoming increasingly urgent: what does belonging mean for young people in a screen saturated age?

This is particularly heightened in the UK, where the government are debating banning social media in schools. One therefore took place at a private breakfast roundtable in London. The other at the Oxford Department of International Development with colleagues from the Belonging Lab the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI). Together, the events convened policymakers, practitioners and academics into discussion about how digital life is shaping young people’s relationships, identity, and sense of belonging.

Both conversations were joined by Kim Samuel, Founder and Chief Architect of the Belonging Forum, and Dr Michael Rich, Founder and Director of the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital. His work focuses on how children and adolescents experience digital media in their everyday lives.

Kim opened the discussions within the wider policy debate now unfolding around children and social media. Governments are beginning to consider stronger regulation, from Australia’s under-16 ban to the UK’s consultation on restrictions around addictive features and AI chatbots. Kim emphasised that digital platforms are already woven into how young people build friendships, express identity and find community. The challenge, she suggested, is not simply whether to restrict technology, but how to shape digital environments that support young people’s wellbeing and sense of belonging.

One point made by Dr Rich from both discussions stayed with many in the room: that young people do not experience a separate “digital world”. For them it is one environment. Screens sit alongside school, family life, friendships and leisure. The real question is not whether digital technology exists – but what it is displacing, what it is enabling, and how young people can learn to use powerful tools in healthy ways.

The breakfast roundtable brought together perspectives from policy, youth work, health, journalism and disability advocacy. The conversation was guided by Disinformation Expert Rebecca Skippage and explored the growing public debate around restricting social media use for under 16s, as well as the wider challenge of supporting young people’s wellbeing online.

Several themes came up repeatedly. Participants noted that bans may send a signal of concern but do not necessarily address the underlying drivers of digital use. Others highlighted the risk of a “cliff edge” at 16 if young people are not supported to develop the judgement and resilience needed to navigate digital environments themselves.

There was also discussion about the experiences young people report online. Many are already being exposed to harmful or distressing content but lack the language or confidence to explain what they are encountering. Emerging developments such as companion AI are also raising new questions about relationships, attachment and the emotional role of digital technologies.

The conversation at Oxford took these questions further by looking at how digital life fits into the way we measure wellbeing. As part of wider debates about Beyond GDP and multidimensional wellbeing frameworks, the discussion explored how connection, relationships and belonging are reflected in existing models.

Statistics from our Belonging Barometer highlights this complexity. Among young adults aged 18 to 24, 85% say social media has deepened their connection with friends they have not met in person. At the same time, 49% of 18–24-year-olds say they feel lonely some or all of the time.

Across both discussions, one point was clear. Digital spaces can strengthen belonging and connection, particularly for young people who may feel marginalised, disabled, neurodivergent or geographically isolated. Yet the same platforms can also intensify negative feelings of comparison, anxiety and social pressure.

Participants agreed that improving digital wellbeing will require action across several areas. Young people themselves must be part of shaping the solutions.

And at the breakfast roundtable, it was established that banning social media outright may have unintended negative consequences, as many marginalised children seek communities and rely on belonging online.

The conversations in London and Oxford were only a starting point. The real test will be whether insights like these translate into policy and practice that genuinely helps young people thrive safely and healthily.