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Mother picking up her teenage daughter from her basketball practice
Srdjanpav | E+ | Gettty images
When, and yes, giving his son a smartphone has become a hot topic in recent months.
Parents are citing evidence that social networks can increase the risk of Mental health problems As a reason to prevent their children from using smartphones, but face a series of challenges, about the pressure of the classmates, which makes it difficult to enforce the rules at home.
Jonathan Haidt, professor of the NYU and author of “The Anseium Generation”, is one of the brains behind what is known as the children’s movement without smartphones. He has some tips for parents who fight with this, saying that addressing the problems of using smartphones in children require that parents work together.
“The reason why this is such a global problem and the reason why many parents feel so helpless is that when we each act only and try to say:” No, you are not getting a smartphone, “says our son: “But I” m the only one who doesn’t have one.
“Then, when we face this as individuals, we are trapped, and worsens more and more, and because we are trapped in a collective action problem, the only way out is through collective action.”
Your comments come as the Childhood movement without smartphones Win traction, with organizations appearing worldwide. These include the waiting of free childhood of smartphones based in the United Kingdom, Wait until 8thUnplugged in Canada, it is not time in Mexico, and the Heads Up alliance in Australia.
Haidt said there is what he calls “four simple standards” that can help parents delay smartphones to their children and adolescents.
“Two of them need government, two no,” Haidt explained. “Four simple standards and if most of us do solve the problem.”
1. There are no smartphones before 14
The first is not giving the children smartphones before the age of 14. “Let them have a phone with a flyer, but remember, a smartphone is not really a phone. They could make phone calls, but it is a multipurpose device by which the world can reach their children,” said Haidt.
Children who received their first smartphone at an advanced age report less mental health damage, a global study of 27,969 from 18 to 24 years for the non -profit organization of the United States. SAPIEN LABS found in 2023.
He showed that 74% of the women surveyed who obtained their first phone at age six said they were distressed or fighting, but this was reduced to 52% for those who obtained their first smartphone at age 15.
For male respondents, these feelings were reduced from 42% for those who obtained their first smartphone at age six, 36% for those who obtained their first smartphone at age 18.
2. There are no social networks before 16
The second is that parents wait until 16 years before allowing their children to have social media accounts.
“Social networks are very inappropriate for minors … so there are no social networks until 16,” said Haidt in the event that indicates the growing research body that shows how social networks It affects the trust of young people.
Social network companies are trying to address some of the concerns that parents and legislators have raised. For example, the Meta Instagram has introduced teenage accounts For children 16 years or less, who are private, they have restricted configurations that can only be eliminated by parents and who have silenced notifications during certain times.
Other efforts include Google launch YouTube children In 2015, as a separate application with content and controls for children.
Haidt said that the government and social media companies can lead things beyond the implementation of age verification controls. Australia It is one of the few countries that has implemented a prohibition of social networks for children under 16.
3. Schools without telephone
The third Haidt standard is having schools without a phone, which should be obliged to the government, he said. “What we are seeing is … All teachers hate phones, children cannot learn when they are in Tiktok and video games and pornography during class.”
Most of England’s schools Implement a prohibition or restrictions on the use of the telephone in schools, but there has been an impulse to convert the guide into the law in the last year. Meanwhile, Zhengzhou has become the China first city Pass the legislation to limit the use of the telephone by students in primary and secondary schools.
The reasons for prohibiting phones in schools include the increase in care in class and fostering greater socialization in person.
4. More free game
The fourth suggested rule is to replace “digital” childhood with real -life activities. He said we need “much more free and independence game in the real world” and “we have to return exciting childhood to children.”
When it comes to collective action, Zach Rausch, a NYU research scientist and principal investigating investigating Organize with parents of children in their children’s class.
“Talk to their parents, and if all together they decide to delay smartphones to high school, then it will be much easier because then you can say ‘well, Johnny does not get his smartphone until 14,” he said.
Rausch also asked for the restoration of a child -based childhood where children had autonomy to play outdoors, be independent and assume risks, which is “really crucial for human development.”
