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. Together we are powerful.
1. 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”.
Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022 | Pew Research Center
3. 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.
Smartphones, social media use and youth mental health | CMAJ
5. 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.
2. Smartphone use correlates to mental health problems
They’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.
Social Media Use and Adolescent Mental Health: Findings From the UK Millennium Cohort Study
4. Smartphones reduce attention-spans
They’re changing the way children’s brains develop, and fundamentally affecting their ability to concentrate.
6. Hong Kong children are highly exposed
Despite the compelling evidence Hong Kong has one of the highest smartphone penetration rates in Asia. 84% of 10-14 year olds in Hong Kong have a smartphone.
Slotta D. Smartphone market in Hong Kong – statistics & facts. Statista.com. 19 March 2024.
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