Many parents are thrilled to see their toddlers under two years old playing with mobile phones. However, according to psychologist Jonathan Haidt, a professor at NYU and author of The Anxious Generation, these parents should be horrified instead.
Haidt highlights an epidemic of mental health problems among children and adolescents. The statistics are alarming. In the U.S., depression and anxiety among young people increased by 50% between 2010 and 2019. During the same period, suicide rates among youth aged 10 to 19 surged by 48%. Similar patterns are seen in countries like Australia, Canada, the UK, Sweden, and others.
The situation is equally concerning in Brazil. Suicide among teenagers aged 10 to 19 jumped by 47% between 2016 and 2021, according to the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics. Being young today is tough. In the U.S., 46% of girls and 30% of boys report struggling with loneliness.
So, what went wrong? Haidt points to childhood and adolescence spent glued to mobile phones. The tipping point came after 2010, when smartphones became widespread among young people, coinciding with the surge in mental health issues. Prior to that, the rates were stable. Academic performance has also taken a hit. Since 2010, global scores in math, reading, and science have plummeted, as evidenced by the Pisa exam results.
In the U.S., teens now spend an average of seven hours a day on their cell phones. In low-income households, that number is even higher. They receive approximately 237 notifications a day – about 15 every waking hour. Haidt argues that it’s impossible to be fully present in such a state, including the focus needed to build meaningful relationships. It’s no coincidence that streaming platforms now offer the option to watch videos at double or quadruple speed. For many young people, watching a movie at normal speed is unbearable.
Haidt also examined other contributing factors, such as changes in parenting styles, social pressures, and limited social opportunities. However, his conclusion remains that the primary cause is the pervasive use of smartphones and similar devices.
But couldn’t this heavy usage also offer some benefits? While benefits do exist, the overwhelming amount of time spent on devices benefits the platforms far more than the users. As Haidt puts it, the children “are coming of age in a confusing, placeless, ahistorical maelstrom of 30-second stories curated by algorithms designed to mesmerize them.”
So, what can be done? Haidt proposes four actions. First, he suggests not allowing children under 14 to use smartphones or tablets. Second, he recommends banning social media until the age of 16. Third, he advocates for a complete ban on smartphones in schools, requiring students to leave their devices at the entrance and only retrieve them when they leave.
Numerous studies indicate that this measure improves both learning and social interactions. Lastly, his fourth recommendation is to encourage more independence, freedom to play, and responsibility among children and adolescents. It’s not enough to limit technology; offline activities must be increased. Achieving this requires a new social pact among families, schools, and communities, which includes recognizing that there is nothing endearing about seeing a baby with a cell phone in their hand.

What’s out: Normal faces.

What’s in: The so-called “Instagram Face.”

What’s next: The pursuit of even more radical facial and body modifications driven by social media.