Why are parents increasingly limiting their children's use of smartphones?
Smartphones – an indispensable technological device in modern life, but have become a concern for many parents. So what is the reason why they increasingly limit their children’s use of this device?
Many mass organizations have been established to call on parents to limit their children's use of smartphones.
There is growing evidence that smartphone use is linked to negative effects on children’s mental health, and a UK-based grassroots organisation called Smartphone Free Childhood is supporting parents to make the decision to keep their children away from the devices.
Founded by Daisy Greenwell and Clare Fernyhough in February, the “Smartphone Free Childhood” organization has quickly grown into a thriving community with more than 60,000 parents participating.
The rapid growth reflects growing concerns about children’s exposure to smartphones at too early an age. With the goal of creating a healthier digital environment for children, the organization has provided a forum for parents to share experiences and seek solutions.
Alarming statistics from the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom show that 97% of children under the age of 12 in the UK own a mobile phone, reflecting a worrying reality about the digital dependency of the younger generation. In response to this situation, the “Smartphone Free Childhood” movement was born, aiming to reduce the negative impacts of smartphones and create a healthier living environment for children.
Meanwhile, in the US, according to a 2021 report by the non-profit organization Common Sense surveying 1,306 teenagers aged 8 to 18 in the US, 42% of children owned a smartphone by the age of 10 and this number increased to 91% by the age of 14.
In an increasingly internet-dependent world, parents are giving their children smartphones for a variety of reasons, including entertainment, location tracking and keeping in touch when they are away from home. However, studies and experts have stressed that this opens the door to social media and can be detrimental to mental health.
Therefore, the organization “Smartphone Free Childhood” aims to unite parents to not let their children use smartphones to reduce peer pressure and the feeling of isolation they may experience.
The organization's success has seen it expand internationally with groups established in the United States, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Canada, South Africa and many other countries.
Just days after the “Smartphone Free Childhood” campaign was launched, the UK government, then led by the Conservative Party, issued new guidelines banning smartphone use in schools and break times.
Some places in the US such as the city of Los Angeles and the states of Florida and Indiana have issued bans on cell phones in schools.
Other similar independent organizations are also being established globally, including “Wait Until 8th” is based in Austin (USA), “Unplugged” in Canada, “No Es Momento” in Mexico and “Heads Up Alliance” in Australia.
However, some scholars and scientists remain unconvinced that smartphones and poor mental health are linked. Psychology professor Christopher Ferguson told NBC News earlier this year that society often reacts negatively to new technology and its potential harms, from TV, video games, and most recently, artificial intelligence.
Are mental health problems more serious when children use smartphones early?
A study published last year by Sapien Labs, a nonprofit focused on the human brain and mental health, found that young people reported worse mental health the earlier they owned a smartphone.
The study used data from 27,969 people aged 18 to 24 collected between January and April 2023 in 41 countries including North America, Europe, Latin America, Oceania, South Asia and Africa.
The age at which women first started using smartphones was clearly linked to mental health outcomes in women. The study found that the earlier a woman started using a smartphone, the more likely she was to report feeling distressed or struggling. Specifically, 74% of women who had a smartphone since age 6 reported experiencing these negative emotions, compared to 61% of those who had a smartphone at age 10 and 52% of those who had a smartphone at age 15.
Among men, the likelihood of feeling distressed or having difficulty with their first smartphone use decreased with age, from 42% of those who got their first smartphone at age 6 to 36% at age 18.
Starting to use a smartphone at an older age may have mental health benefits. Research shows that these people are less likely to experience problems such as negative thinking, aggressive behavior and feelings of detachment from life.
These findings have sounded the alarm, prompting parents to seek solutions to protect their children's mental health, according to Zach Rausch, a leading expert in the field of youth research at New York University (USA).
“Children having a childhood based on their phones is really harmful to young people,” said the expert. “The research has been accumulating and the evidence of harm is getting stronger every year. This issue has been exposed and parents see that other people are talking about this, so we are seeing a wave of parents coming together.”
Zach Rausch emphasizes that the combination of smartphones and social networks is especially dangerous for young people.
The UK Millennium Cohort Study, which followed the lives of around 19,000 young people born in the UK between 2000 and 2002, found a strong link between social media use and increased depressive symptoms, including low self-esteem, cyberbullying and body image concerns.
“When smartphones and social media truly merged, it created a whole new way of interacting with each other. Smartphones, with their intelligent algorithms, became inseparable “companions” but also potential “enemies”, addictive and deeply infiltrating our lives,” added expert Zach Rausch.
In recent years, tech giant Meta, which owns social media platforms Instagram and Facebook, has faced fierce criticism from lawmakers and parents for inadvertently creating an online environment rife with harmful content, especially for children and teenagers.
In response to the backlash, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has called on lawmakers to tighten regulations on harmful online content. Meta has also taken steps to limit the types of content that young users are exposed to, including sensitive topics like self-harm and eating disorders.
With growing concerns about the impact of social media on children, many tech companies have begun to move toward more child-friendly platforms. Google, for example, has launched YouTube Kids, an app designed specifically for children with wholesome content and parental control features.
Recognizing the growing need for connectivity among children, Apple has launched a new website that presents the Apple Watch as a smart device specifically for children, giving parents peace of mind when letting their children use technology. The device will be managed using the parent's iPhone so they can stay in touch with their children.