A fantastic week for putting smartphone use in children under an uncomfortably hot spotlight. Many appreciating it deeply, but a fair few saying the new government ‘guidance’ on banning smartphone use in schools will make little or no difference to the problems we face. Some even questioning there is even a problem. I can t deny my blood boiling hearing ‘one union’ put out a statement (according to Radio 4’s Today programme) that this new guidance was a ‘non-policy for a non-problem.’ What?
Here are a few of the problems behind the use of smartphones in children;
• 50% of 12 year olds regularly view online pornography
• 44% of boys say it gives them ideas regarding the sort of sex they want to try
• Girls aged 11 are pressured into sending nude images of themselves... that's 11 year old girls.
• Widespread increase in webpages showing sexual abuse of 7-10 year olds since 2019
• Higher risk of obesity in children with high smartphone usage and increased chance of other physical injuries (eyes, neck, spine)
• 57% higher rate of sleep deprivation in teenagers c/f 30 years ago
• 84% of bullying now happens online
• Massive increases in rates of depression, loneliness and self-harming
• Worse mental health outcomes for those given smartphones as children who are now adults
The solutions surround creating a tidal wave of confidence among parents to say ‘no, not yet.’ But not just this, that many parents will understandably find difficult. We also need ‘less-smart’ phones for under 16s, that lack social media capabilities and hazardous online searches. Let s for goodness sake not lean our hopes on multi-billion dollar tech companies doing anything other than aggressively engaging (distracting and corrupting) our children, or the new online harms bill that lacks teeth and robust legislation.
Join #saferscreensforteens @usforthem @smartphonefreechildhood
Read anything Sophie Winkleman has written.
And if you re on board- please sign this new petition to ban smart phones in under 16s.
Petition to ban smart phones in under 16s