Why Natterhub’s Kid-Friendly Design Makes Edtech More Effective

Children's increasing online presence has highlighted the gap between their technological skills and emotional maturity, contributing to risks like depression and anxiety from social media use. To address this, Caroline Allams and Manjut Sareen co-founded Natterhub in April 2019, an edtech platform designed to teach children online safety and digital literacy by mimicking social media within a safe, moderated environment. Natterhub, which has grown significantly since launching during the COVID-19 lockdown, emphasizes the importance of empathy, safety, and balanced screen time through structured lessons. Its strategic design focuses on child-centered communication tools, contrasting with adult-oriented platforms often used in education. The platform demonstrates the potential of edtech when it's designed with education at its core and responsive to teacher feedback, highlighting the necessity for edtech solutions that cater to the specific needs of young users.