The Cost of Safetyism

# Summary Over the past two decades, parental restrictions on children's unsupervised outdoor freedom have dramatically increased—84% of 11-year-olds now can't leave their street compared to historical norms of independent exploration—driven primarily by media-fueled fear rather than actual increases in danger, as violent crime against children has steadily declined since the 1990s. The shift stems from constant exposure to crime reports through news, neighborhood apps, and social media that create a perception-reality gap, causing parents to adopt overly risk-averse parenting that restricts not just outdoor play but also general childhood autonomy and independence.