I watched Adolescence with 100 young people, and what they said might surprise you

A lot has been written about the panic among parents after viewing the Netflix drama Chloe Combi wanted to find out what their children thought. She came away with new hope

- Chloe Combi

Four years ago, I had a hit podcast called You Don’t Know Me, which was number one on Apple and received rave reviews. It focused on the lives of teenagers – then Generation Z. A lot has changed in the last four years, not least the youngest generational shift from Gen Z to Gen Alpha. So, considering the work and research I’ve done in that time, alongside the global conversation around from You Don’t Know Me. They brought along their Gen Alpha younger siblings and friends.

In a screening room in east London, 103 young people turned up, a mix of male and female (60/40), aged between 12 and 22. I was curious. While a lot has been written by adults about this show, what did their children think? I wasn’t going to be disappointed. They came with opinions. The night was emotional and thought-provoking, but one word stayed with me most of all – hope – something I feel many parents and carers really need to hear right now.

For those still uninitiated, Adolescence depicts the fallout after 13-year-old Jamie Miller murders his female classmate. It transpires that the very likeable and seemingly normal Jamie has been heavily radicalised by online manosphere culture, which has warped his view of women and girls – a tragic global reality today. Alongside a growing chasm between the genders, many point to a rise in violence against women and girls as a direct consequence of some of the more extreme online ideologies.

Watching Adolescence as an adult is a jarring experience because it pulls back the curtain on a world that every teenager with a phone is potentially exposed to. But watching it with teenagers and young adults made me realise that, while the problem is prevalent among young people, the solutions might lie with them too.