It’s Okay To Be Off-Grid If You’re A Kid

Dear Mr. Khan,

I write as a concerned Londoner and long-time advocate for our city’s cultural fabric, particularly through my work as founder of Save Soho. Today, my concern is not about buildings or venues but something far more critical: the well-being of our children and the digital norms we are shaping as a society.

I write regarding the recent advertising campaign adorning the London Underground, featuring a young woman—or perhaps a teenager—eyes closed, transfixed by the glow of her smartphone. The caption trumpets, “5G is coming to the Tube,” promising that by the end of 2024, 80% of Tube stations will be bathed in seamless mobile coverage—a commitment, we are told from the Mayor of London.