Rebel Telecom Co-Founder and CEO Munur Shah sat down with ActionCOACH UK to share practical strategies for parents battling screen addiction.
The conversation starts with a stark question: have we become a society addicted to our screens? For Munur, the answer is unequivocally yes. He argue that our relationship with smartphones is not accidental. Notifications, rewards and algorithms use behavioural science to repeatedly draw our attention back to the screen. He points to the fact that people pick up their phones close to 100 times a day, often without consciously deciding to do so.
But Munur is clear that technology itself isn't the enemy. Smartphones offer enormous benefits and aren't going anywhere. The problem, he argues, is what we put on them. Certain apps and platforms are built around capturing attention, making it increasingly difficult for adults and children to put their devices down.
That distinction is particularly important when it comes to children. Rather than simply handing a child an unrestricted smartphone, Munur believes parents should think carefully about when and how technology is introduced. During the interview, he introduces the Rebel Phone as an alternative option: giving children access to useful technology while creating clearer boundaries around the digital world they enter.
It is part of a wider philosophy that runs through Rebel Telecom. The aim isn't to take technology away from children, but to help families introduce it more intentionally. It means recognising the benefits of connection and independence while questioning whether a child's first phone also needs to expose them to everything that comes with a conventional smartphone.
The conversation also explores Rebel Therapies, which Munur created to provide education, courses and solutions for people struggling with their relationship with screens. Its goal is not digital abstinence. Instead, it uses education, coaching and behavioural techniques to help people understand why they repeatedly reach for their devices and ultimately put them back in control of their technology.
For parents, one of Munur's most important messages is that change starts with adults. Parents cannot realistically ask children to develop healthy screen habits while spending their own evenings scrolling through social media. Awareness, education and control form the three pillars of his approach, with adults first recognising their own habits before expecting children to change theirs.
But boundaries alone aren't enough. Munur argues that one of the most powerful things a parent can do is build a relationship in which their child feels able to talk about what is happening online. His advice is surprisingly simple: ask questions about the things your child genuinely cares about. Starting those everyday conversations can create the trust needed for children to speak about bigger problems when they arise.
Ultimately, Munur's message is not about rejecting technology. It is about changing our relationship with it. Technology should be something families control, rather than something that controls them.
You can watch the full interview below.