Digital hide and seek campaign tackles screen addiction

Proximus and Gezinsbond are teaming up to raise awareness around responsible screen use among young people. The two organisations have launched Digital Hide and Seek, a campaign that challenges youngsters to switch off their smartphones for an afternoon on Wednesday, September 24. The initiative aims to highlight the risks of excessive screen use in a playful way while encouraging young people to discover offline activities.

The campaign comes in response to findings from the latest Family Barometer by Gezinsbond, which revealed that one in five parents worry about their children’s screen time, while one in three express concern over the addictive nature of social media. Schools are also seen as playing an important role in teaching children media literacy.

Digital Hide and Seek: how it works

Participants in Digital Hide and Seek are asked to disconnect completely between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. by enabling airplane mode and disabling Wi-Fi. During this period, Proximus will send a test message via RCS. Those who receive it immediately are considered “caught” and eliminated, while those who remain offline for the full duration will be recognised as winners.

Young people are also encouraged to document their offline experiences creatively. Selected entries will be rewarded with prizes such as amusement park tickets, cinema vouchers or the chance to attend a Red Devils match.

Broader digital responsibility

The initiative builds on existing projects from both organisations. Gezinsbond, together with Child Focus, runs the Veilig Online programme, which supports parents in media education through training and webinars. Proximus also works with Child Focus on Internet Safe & Fun, an initiative where employees volunteer in schools to raise awareness about online safety.

Jim Casteele, Consumer Market Lead, Proximus: "With Digital Hide and Seek, we show that going offline does not have to be seen as forgoing something, but can, rather, create opportunities to discover something new: time for a hobby, a chat with friends, or just a moment of peace and quiet. In this way, we want to inspire young people and their parents to use technology in a more conscious way."

Jeroen Sleurs, General Director, Gezinsbond: "Our latest Family Barometer shows that many parents are concerned about the impact of social media on their children. Scientific research shows both positive and negative effects of social media. It's not about banning screens but, rather, about getting young people to experience that there's plenty to do outside the digital realm. With this campaign, we are providing parents and their children with a specific, fun way to discuss screen use. We at Gezinsbond are happy to support this project and hope as many families as possible will go offline."

Proximus plans to continue strengthening its Smarter & safer online programme in the coming months, including the launch of a new AI tool designed to help users identify and protect themselves against online fraud.

www.proximus.be

www.gezinsbond.be

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