When we all started using smartphones, we had little understanding of the impact they have on children and teenagers. Now we do. The evidence is overwhelming, and we need to act, now.
SMARTPHONES ARE HIGHLY ADDICTIVE
Tech companies spend billions on making apps and devices intentionally addictive, affecting young brains in a way that is similar to gambling. One study found one-in-five teens looked at YouTube “almost constantly”.
2022 Study into teens and social media
SMARTPHONE USE CORRELATES TO MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMSThey’ve been directly linked to poor mental health and low self-esteem, especially in girls. And social media use in teens correlates directly to rates of anxiety and depression.
Depression and social media use in teens
SMARTPHONES EXPOSE CHILDREN TO HARMFUL CONTENT
The internet is a gateway to pornography, bullying, grooming and all sorts of harmful content. Social has been proven to increase self-harm and suicidal tendencies amongst adolescents.
2020 study on smartphones and mental health.
SMARTPHONES REDUCE ATTENTION-SPANS
They’re changing the way children’s brains develop, and fundamentally affecting their ability to concentrate.
2021 Study by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
SMARTPHONES ROB CHILDREN OF THEIR CHILDHOOD
Even harmless content isn’t harmless. Time spent on a device is time not spent with other children; playing, exploring, interacting and developing vital social skills.
Must-watch Jonathan Haidt Talk
Despite the compelling evidence a fifth of three to four-year-olds in the UK have a smartphone. By aged 11, only 17% don’t have one.
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