Safe Haven
“We even devote more care to the screen than to the wellbeing of ourselves and our closest relatives.”
President Halla Tómasdóttir has spoken publicly about the importance of good mental health on many occasions. She has emphasised the need to create safe havens for children and young adults to protect them from online harm. In her address at the Hólar Celebration in August 2025 she said:
“The attention economy has robbed us of both inner and outer peace, disconnected generations, severed our ties to one another and to the natural world. We invest more time and effort on screens than into caring for our own wellbeing and that of those closest to us.”
A few weeks later the president invited a group of young people and relevant experts to Bessastaðir for a conversation about the impact of smart devices and social media on children and youth. The group has continued the conversation in various ways since then and a wider movement for healthier screen and social media habits in society.