Early Smartphone Use Linked to Poorer Mental Health: New Market for Child-Safe Tech
This global study's finding strongly suggests a growing public concern and potential shift in parental attitudes regarding early smartphone adoption. This opens up significant opportunities for:
- "Dumb Phones" for Kids: A resurgence or new market for feature phones or simplified smartphones designed for communication only, without internet or social media access.
- Parental Control Software/Hardware: Advanced tools that genuinely limit harmful content and screen time effectively, going beyond basic OS features.
- Educational Programs/Resources: Workshops and guides for parents and educators on navigating child-tech use and fostering healthy digital habits.
- Tech-Free/Mindful Play Products: A push for non-digital toys, activities, and experiences that promote real-world interaction and mental well-being.
- Policy Advocacy: Potential for new regulations or guidelines from schools and governments regarding tech use for minors.
- Child-Friendly, Health-Oriented Apps: Development of apps designed specifically for children with a focus on education, creativity, and well-being, strictly regulated for screen time and content.
Origin Reddit Post
r/science
Owning a smartphone before age 13 is associated with poorer mind health and wellbeing in early adulthood, according to a global study of more than 100,000 young people, and more likely to rep
Posted by u/mvea•07/21/2025
Top Comments
u/Definitelymostlikely
I think a lot of it is personal mentality.
But using myself as an example, I follow some of those kinds of accounts on instagram. And seeing the buff dude benching 300lbs for reps or the h
u/Zealotstim
Ah, okay. Yeah, it's possible. I think it's still worthwhile to make an effort to reduce access to them for children despite that.
u/Zikkan1
That might have been true but not today. Everyone has one so if you didn't have one at that age you would be excluded by everyone, even if they didn't actively exclude you, you simply wouldn'
u/GCU_Problem_Child
Explain the absolute state of my entire generation then, because we didn't have smartphones, and we're almost entirely fucked. The problem isn't tech, it's people. We still aren't looking out
u/Potential-Jury3661
Yeah but adults can make their own choices, usually early teenagers cant and dont buy cellphones gor themselves.
u/Potential-Jury3661
Yeah but adults can make their own choices, usually early teenagers cant and dont buy cellphones gor themselves.
u/bisikletci
"For example, those who owned a smartphone at age 13 scored an average of 30, dropping to just 1 for those who had one at age five."
Imo it's a bit misleading of the article to report this w
u/Zealotstim
Ah, okay. Yeah, it's possible. I think it's still worthwhile to make an effort to reduce access to them for children despite that.
u/quiksilver10152
Definitely counter to what my team has found. Social media seems to be toxic for the mental health development of everyone studied.
u/Cuddlehead
What do you mean? 15 years ago Samsung Galaxy S and HTC Droid were making headlines
u/vivekjd
Is that evidence or mere correlation? Also, did the data suggest that people older than 13 years of age were not affected by smartphone usage? Curious.
u/GCU_Problem_Child
Gen X. Late 70's, from the UK. I mention WHERE specifically because there seems to be this very stupid, and entirely predictable, idea by Americans on Reddit, that America is the only country
u/JohnnyOnslaught
Because if there's one thing that impressionable youths are known for, it's taking their parents advice seriously.
u/Blackintosh
Algorithm - "So you're interested in drawing? Here's thousands of videos of younger, prettier, more talented, richer people than you, doing better drawings than you will ever do."
"you like
u/Medium_Ad_4568
So, no other factors involved? I have a feeling that despite learning math along with psychology such researchers dismiss it completely in pursuit of a bombshell resume.
u/cucumberhorse
my parents got me an ipod touch at 12 (this is before iphones were widely accessible/cheap) I do think it caused a lot of issues in between being able to mindlessly scroll the internet / mess
u/quiksilver10152
Definitely counter to what my team has found. Social media seems to be toxic for the mental health development of everyone studied.
u/Boring-Philosophy-46
I was gonna say, what about current society makes anyone assume smartphones are good for adults either?
u/Efficient_Basis_2139
There is no reason whatsoever kids should have their own smartphones.
u/vivekjd
Is that evidence or mere correlation? Also, did the data suggest that people older than 13 years of age were not affected by smartphone usage? Curious.
u/ToMorrowsEnd
or even have mommy's smartphone. or tablet, or smart TV. Giving them unlimited unfetterd and unsupervised access is stupid.
Sadly a lot of parents are exactly that. I remember having a
u/sallguud
Yep. We forget that Obama was known for his BlackBerry. That’s 10-15 years ago. Most people had flip phones until about 2012.
u/peachywitchybitchy
I was born in 98, babysat to save for an unlocked smart phone back in 2011 and put it on a prepaid plan. So they can and will buy cellphones for themselves if theyre creative and need their f
u/Definitelymostlikely
I think a lot of it is personal mentality.
But using myself as an example, I follow some of those kinds of accounts on instagram. And seeing the buff dude benching 300lbs for reps or the h
u/drmike0099
They didn’t cut it off at 13, they did the scoring and it looked like the negative effect leveled off at 13 and 13 was essentially the same as ages older than that.
u/GCU_Problem_Child
I'm talking Gen X. You can speak for that age group from your town, perhaps. Likely only your immediate area. But not for anywhere else. Not everyone lived in places where you could go outsid
u/ThrowbackGaming
You don't use a phone, the phone uses you.
u/quiksilver10152
Interesting that they cut it off at 13. The group I collect data for have found no optimal age.
u/JohnnyOnslaught
Because if there's one thing that impressionable youths are known for, it's taking their parents advice seriously.
u/HIEROYALL
How much of this is just general/political news and social media?
Those things removed, I seriously doubt the same negative health outcomes.
u/Katsssss
Yeah facts, to me the worse part about smartphones is social media, especially now short form content
u/[deleted]
[deleted]
u/RScrewed
Devil's advocate:
You're confident being exposed to every terrible thing on the internet as a child actually made you a worse off adult?
What if not having seen those things at all resul
u/Smallsey
Mind health. I like that
u/EscapeFacebook
As a millennial who was exposed to every terrible thing the internet had to offer as a child I am more confident than ever in not letting my 10yr old on the internet....
u/Decent_Management449
I know they existed, the phones themselves. But "mobile" resources was barely even a term back then, and the whole mobile phone experience was completely tame compared to what it is today.
u/EscapeFacebook
As a millennial who was exposed to every terrible thing the internet had to offer as a child I am more confident than ever in not letting my 10yr old on the internet....
u/truthovertribe
I recommend The book "Careless People" by Sarah Wynn-Williams.
It describes her tenure at Facebook .
The real concerns revealed in this book are the entitlement, the hunger for power, growth
u/Cuddlehead
What do you mean? 15 years ago Samsung Galaxy S and HTC Droid were making headlines
u/cjwidd
> These correlations are mediated through several factors, including social media access, cyberbullying, disrupted sleep, and poor family relationships leading to symptoms in adulthood tha
u/ThrowbackGaming
You don't use a phone, the phone uses you.
u/ThrowbackGaming
You don't use a phone, the phone uses you.
u/ToMorrowsEnd
or even have mommy's smartphone. or tablet, or smart TV. Giving them unlimited unfetterd and unsupervised access is stupid.
Sadly a lot of parents are exactly that. I remember having a
u/quiksilver10152
Same for us. But we both know where the majority of the deleterious effects are originating.
u/xboxhaxorz
They can decide how often to use it though
u/Decent_Management449
Kinda crazy that 10-15 yrs ago, Smartphones really weren't even a thing.
u/Definitelymostlikely
I think a lot of it is personal mentality.
But using myself as an example, I follow some of those kinds of accounts on instagram. And seeing the buff dude benching 300lbs for reps or the h
u/Potential-Jury3661
Now im wondering if this would also apply for tablet use
u/Decent_Management449
I know they existed, the phones themselves. But "mobile" resources was barely even a term back then, and the whole mobile phone experience was completely tame compared to what it is today.
u/Wonderful-Cup-9556
There’s also a tremendous amount of peer pressure exerted on children at this age and parents who have the resources to give their children a phone start the pressure to have every child with
u/peachywitchybitchy
For prepaid phone plans and data cards, yes. An actual contract I wouldn’t have been able to.
u/Cuddlehead
What do you mean? 15 years ago Samsung Galaxy S and HTC Droid were making headlines
u/HIEROYALL
Less smart phones
More social media and daily news
u/quiksilver10152
Interesting that they cut it off at 13. The group I collect data for have found no optimal age.
u/xboxhaxorz
They can decide how often to use it though
u/zirconst
Plenty of parents do not give their young children smartphones. It is not cruel.
u/GCU_Problem_Child
Gen X. Late 70's, from the UK. I mention WHERE specifically because there seems to be this very stupid, and entirely predictable, idea by Americans on Reddit, that America is the only country
u/EscapeFacebook
As a millennial who was exposed to every terrible thing the internet had to offer as a child I am more confident than ever in not letting my 10yr old on the internet....
u/GCU_Problem_Child
Explain the absolute state of my entire generation then, because we didn't have smartphones, and we're almost entirely fucked. The problem isn't tech, it's people. We still aren't looking out
u/peachywitchybitchy
I was born in 98, babysat to save for an unlocked smart phone back in 2011 and put it on a prepaid plan. So they can and will buy cellphones for themselves if theyre creative and need their f
u/quiksilver10152
Interesting that they cut it off at 13. The group I collect data for have found no optimal age.
u/Potential-Jury3661
Now im wondering if this would also apply for tablet use
u/GCU_Problem_Child
Explain the absolute state of my entire generation then, because we didn't have smartphones, and we're almost entirely fucked. The problem isn't tech, it's people. We still aren't looking out
u/Potential-Jury3661
Good point, thsnks for the reply
u/Wonderful-Cup-9556
There’s also a tremendous amount of peer pressure exerted on children at this age and parents who have the resources to give their children a phone start the pressure to have every child with
u/Efficient_Basis_2139
There is no reason whatsoever kids should have their own smartphones.
u/Zealotstim
Are you just pointing out that it's possible for some of them to get them, or are you suggesting that there's no point in trying to restrict smartphone use among young children?
u/Decent_Management449
Kinda crazy that 10-15 yrs ago, Smartphones really weren't even a thing.
u/peachywitchybitchy
I’m pointing out that is possible to get them even if the parents aren’t helping, I’m sorry for not making it more clear.
u/cucumberhorse
my parents got me an ipod touch at 12 (this is before iphones were widely accessible/cheap) I do think it caused a lot of issues in between being able to mindlessly scroll the internet / mess
u/ToMorrowsEnd
or even have mommy's smartphone. or tablet, or smart TV. Giving them unlimited unfetterd and unsupervised access is stupid.
Sadly a lot of parents are exactly that. I remember having a
u/GCU_Problem_Child
I'm talking Gen X. You can speak for that age group from your town, perhaps. Likely only your immediate area. But not for anywhere else. Not everyone lived in places where you could go outsid
u/[deleted]
[deleted]
u/quiksilver10152
Definitely counter to what my team has found. Social media seems to be toxic for the mental health development of everyone studied.
u/truthovertribe
I recommend The book "Careless People" by Sarah Wynn-Williams.
It describes her tenure at Facebook .
The real concerns revealed in this book are the entitlement, the hunger for power, growth
u/happy-cig
But they can annoy/beg/negotiate for a cell phone from their parents.
u/HIEROYALL
How much of this is just general/political news and social media?
Those things removed, I seriously doubt the same negative health outcomes.
u/Talentagentfriend
Social media is worse. Smartphones are a strong avenue to social media, especially in younger kids.
u/huehuehuehuehuuuu
Internet back then was different. Horrible stuff still existed, but not nearly the ADHD shock and awe private and government sponsored bombardment and mass monetization mass information colle
u/quiksilver10152
Interesting that they cut it off at 13. The group I collect data for have found no optimal age.
u/peachywitchybitchy
I was born in 98, babysat to save for an unlocked smart phone back in 2011 and put it on a prepaid plan. So they can and will buy cellphones for themselves if theyre creative and need their f
u/drmike0099
This is about cell phone use and wasn’t looking at social media directly.
u/EscapeFacebook
Maybe, but kids not listening is due to parents that don't take their kids seriously.
u/mvea
I’ve linked to the press release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.108
u/huehuehuehuehuuuu
Internet back then was different. Horrible stuff still existed, but not nearly the ADHD shock and awe private and government sponsored bombardment and mass monetization mass information colle
u/cjwidd
> These correlations are mediated through several factors, including social media access, cyberbullying, disrupted sleep, and poor family relationships leading to symptoms in adulthood tha
u/Reaper_456
Would they say the same thing for people who were exposed to video games at a young age? I kinda want to know simply because there's a boat load of people who fed their kids games at a young
u/Equivalent-Artist899
I got my first cell phone at 12yo, yes
u/ThrowbackGaming
You don't use a phone, the phone uses you.
u/HIEROYALL
How much of this is just general/political news and social media?
Those things removed, I seriously doubt the same negative health outcomes.
u/Equivalent-Artist899
I got my first cell phone at 12yo, yes
u/Zikkan1
Maybe it's different in your country but that's not the case where I live. 97% of 12 year olds have a phone. So if you aren't part of those 97% you are naturally excluded from a lot of stuff.
u/happy-cig
But they can annoy/beg/negotiate for a cell phone from their parents.
u/Efficient_Basis_2139
There is no reason whatsoever kids should have their own smartphones.
u/ToMorrowsEnd
It's not the device. It's the unsupervised unlimited access to the cesspool.
Most parents use the damned things as a babysitter
u/Potential-Jury3661
Good point, thsnks for the reply
u/Boring-Philosophy-46
I was gonna say, what about current society makes anyone assume smartphones are good for adults either?
u/Boring-Philosophy-46
I was gonna say, what about current society makes anyone assume smartphones are good for adults either?
u/RScrewed
Devil's advocate:
You're confident being exposed to every terrible thing on the internet as a child actually made you a worse off adult?
What if not having seen those things at all resul
u/Boring-Philosophy-46
I was gonna say, what about current society makes anyone assume smartphones are good for adults either?
u/Definitelymostlikely
I think a lot of it is personal mentality.
But using myself as an example, I follow some of those kinds of accounts on instagram. And seeing the buff dude benching 300lbs for reps or the h
u/Beneficial-Finger353
yea, its called tik-tok brain
u/Decent_Management449
I know they existed, the phones themselves. But "mobile" resources was barely even a term back then, and the whole mobile phone experience was completely tame compared to what it is today.
u/ToMorrowsEnd
or even have mommy's smartphone. or tablet, or smart TV. Giving them unlimited unfetterd and unsupervised access is stupid.
Sadly a lot of parents are exactly that. I remember having a
u/zirconst
Plenty of parents do not give their young children smartphones. It is not cruel.
u/GCU_Problem_Child
Gen X. Late 70's, from the UK. I mention WHERE specifically because there seems to be this very stupid, and entirely predictable, idea by Americans on Reddit, that America is the only country
u/Beneficial-Finger353
yea, its called tik-tok brain
u/cucumberhorse
my parents got me an ipod touch at 12 (this is before iphones were widely accessible/cheap) I do think it caused a lot of issues in between being able to mindlessly scroll the internet / mess
u/sallguud
Yep. We forget that Obama was known for his BlackBerry. That’s 10-15 years ago. Most people had flip phones until about 2012.
u/Galeharry_
Likely because thats the age you have to be to legally have an account on most sites like social media etc.
u/zirconst
29% of kids do not have a phone by age 12 (which is honestly too low a number). It's recommended to wait even longer. For my own kids, they might get a cellphone before that, but it's going t
u/Efficient_Basis_2139
There is no reason whatsoever kids should have their own smartphones.
u/ToMorrowsEnd
It's not the device. It's the unsupervised unlimited access to the cesspool.
Most parents use the damned things as a babysitter
u/Katsssss
Yeah facts, to me the worse part about smartphones is social media, especially now short form content
u/Smallsey
Mind health. I like that
u/[deleted]
[removed]
u/lordnecro
My 8 year old has one. It has tracking and we can contact each other. Useful when he is playing with the neighborhood kids.
But he is not playing games on it or accessing social media or any
u/Reaper_456
Would they say the same thing for people who were exposed to video games at a young age? I kinda want to know simply because there's a boat load of people who fed their kids games at a young
u/EscapeFacebook
Maybe, but kids not listening is due to parents that don't take their kids seriously.
u/vivekjd
Is that evidence or mere correlation? Also, did the data suggest that people older than 13 years of age were not affected by smartphone usage? Curious.
u/helm
I can speak for that generation a bit:
1. We were more active. Sitting inside playing video games was a thing, but often just a small part of childhood.
2. The ability to concentrate was gen
u/Blackintosh
Algorithm - "So you're interested in drawing? Here's thousands of videos of younger, prettier, more talented, richer people than you, doing better drawings than you will ever do."
"you like
u/Talentagentfriend
Social media is worse. Smartphones are a strong avenue to social media, especially in younger kids.
u/Blackintosh
Algorithm - "So you're interested in drawing? Here's thousands of videos of younger, prettier, more talented, richer people than you, doing better drawings than you will ever do."
"you like
u/Decent_Management449
Kinda crazy that 10-15 yrs ago, Smartphones really weren't even a thing.
u/sallguud
Yep. We forget that Obama was known for his BlackBerry. That’s 10-15 years ago. Most people had flip phones until about 2012.
u/Zealotstim
Are you just pointing out that it's possible for some of them to get them, or are you suggesting that there's no point in trying to restrict smartphone use among young children?
u/peachywitchybitchy
For prepaid phone plans and data cards, yes. An actual contract I wouldn’t have been able to.
u/peachywitchybitchy
I’m pointing out that is possible to get them even if the parents aren’t helping, I’m sorry for not making it more clear.
u/truthovertribe
I recommend The book "Careless People" by Sarah Wynn-Williams.
It describes her tenure at Facebook .
The real concerns revealed in this book are the entitlement, the hunger for power, growth
u/Decent_Management449
Kinda crazy that 10-15 yrs ago, Smartphones really weren't even a thing.
u/vivekjd
Is that evidence or mere correlation? Also, did the data suggest that people older than 13 years of age were not affected by smartphone usage? Curious.
u/Spazheart12
Whats your generation?
u/helm
I can speak for that generation a bit:
1. We were more active. Sitting inside playing video games was a thing, but often just a small part of childhood.
2. The ability to concentrate was gen
u/peachywitchybitchy
I was born in 98, babysat to save for an unlocked smart phone back in 2011 and put it on a prepaid plan. So they can and will buy cellphones for themselves if theyre creative and need their f
u/Medium_Ad_4568
So, no other factors involved? I have a feeling that despite learning math along with psychology such researchers dismiss it completely in pursuit of a bombshell resume.
u/Potential-Jury3661
Yeah but adults can make their own choices, usually early teenagers cant and dont buy cellphones gor themselves.
u/bisikletci
"For example, those who owned a smartphone at age 13 scored an average of 30, dropping to just 1 for those who had one at age five."
Imo it's a bit misleading of the article to report this w
u/mvea
I’ve linked to the press release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.108
u/drmike0099
They didn’t cut it off at 13, they did the scoring and it looked like the negative effect leveled off at 13 and 13 was essentially the same as ages older than that.
u/Cuddlehead
What do you mean? 15 years ago Samsung Galaxy S and HTC Droid were making headlines
u/Spazheart12
Whats your generation?
u/Talentagentfriend
Social media is worse. Smartphones are a strong avenue to social media, especially in younger kids.
u/EscapeFacebook
As a millennial who was exposed to every terrible thing the internet had to offer as a child I am more confident than ever in not letting my 10yr old on the internet....
u/HIEROYALL
Less smart phones
More social media and daily news
u/Potential-Jury3661
Now im wondering if this would also apply for tablet use
u/Katsssss
Yeah facts, to me the worse part about smartphones is social media, especially now short form content
u/Decent_Management449
I know they existed, the phones themselves. But "mobile" resources was barely even a term back then, and the whole mobile phone experience was completely tame compared to what it is today.
u/Wonderful-Cup-9556
There’s also a tremendous amount of peer pressure exerted on children at this age and parents who have the resources to give their children a phone start the pressure to have every child with
u/bisikletci
"For example, those who owned a smartphone at age 13 scored an average of 30, dropping to just 1 for those who had one at age five."
Imo it's a bit misleading of the article to report this w
u/JohnnyOnslaught
Because if there's one thing that impressionable youths are known for, it's taking their parents advice seriously.
u/Zikkan1
That might have been true but not today. Everyone has one so if you didn't have one at that age you would be excluded by everyone, even if they didn't actively exclude you, you simply wouldn'
u/Spazheart12
Whats your generation?
u/Potential-Jury3661
Now im wondering if this would also apply for tablet use
u/mvea
I’ve linked to the press release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.108
u/sallguud
Yep. We forget that Obama was known for his BlackBerry. That’s 10-15 years ago. Most people had flip phones until about 2012.
u/Potential-Jury3661
Was it also possible to activate a line without a parent? curious
u/GCU_Problem_Child
Gen X. Late 70's, from the UK. I mention WHERE specifically because there seems to be this very stupid, and entirely predictable, idea by Americans on Reddit, that America is the only country
u/Katsssss
Yeah facts, to me the worse part about smartphones is social media, especially now short form content
u/Equivalent-Artist899
I got my first cell phone at 12yo, yes
u/ToMorrowsEnd
It's not the device. It's the unsupervised unlimited access to the cesspool.
Most parents use the damned things as a babysitter
u/GCU_Problem_Child
I'm talking Gen X. You can speak for that age group from your town, perhaps. Likely only your immediate area. But not for anywhere else. Not everyone lived in places where you could go outsid
u/zirconst
29% of kids do not have a phone by age 12 (which is honestly too low a number). It's recommended to wait even longer. For my own kids, they might get a cellphone before that, but it's going t
u/GCU_Problem_Child
Explain the absolute state of my entire generation then, because we didn't have smartphones, and we're almost entirely fucked. The problem isn't tech, it's people. We still aren't looking out
u/JohnnyOnslaught
Because if there's one thing that impressionable youths are known for, it's taking their parents advice seriously.
u/drmike0099
This is about cell phone use and wasn’t looking at social media directly.
u/cucumberhorse
my parents got me an ipod touch at 12 (this is before iphones were widely accessible/cheap) I do think it caused a lot of issues in between being able to mindlessly scroll the internet / mess
u/lordnecro
My 8 year old has one. It has tracking and we can contact each other. Useful when he is playing with the neighborhood kids.
But he is not playing games on it or accessing social media or any
u/Zikkan1
That might have been true but not today. Everyone has one so if you didn't have one at that age you would be excluded by everyone, even if they didn't actively exclude you, you simply wouldn'
u/HIEROYALL
Less smart phones
More social media and daily news
u/Galeharry_
Likely because thats the age you have to be to legally have an account on most sites like social media etc.
u/Beneficial-Finger353
yea, its called tik-tok brain
u/GCU_Problem_Child
I'm talking Gen X. You can speak for that age group from your town, perhaps. Likely only your immediate area. But not for anywhere else. Not everyone lived in places where you could go outsid
u/Potential-Jury3661
Was it also possible to activate a line without a parent? curious
u/[deleted]
[deleted]
u/happy-cig
But they can annoy/beg/negotiate for a cell phone from their parents.
u/EscapeFacebook
Maybe, but kids not listening is due to parents that don't take their kids seriously.
u/cjwidd
> These correlations are mediated through several factors, including social media access, cyberbullying, disrupted sleep, and poor family relationships leading to symptoms in adulthood tha
u/[deleted]
[removed]
u/[deleted]
[removed]
u/Zikkan1
I have never seen a 12 year old without a phone
u/Blackintosh
Algorithm - "So you're interested in drawing? Here's thousands of videos of younger, prettier, more talented, richer people than you, doing better drawings than you will ever do."
"you like
u/Medium_Ad_4568
So, no other factors involved? I have a feeling that despite learning math along with psychology such researchers dismiss it completely in pursuit of a bombshell resume.
u/ToMorrowsEnd
It's not the device. It's the unsupervised unlimited access to the cesspool.
Most parents use the damned things as a babysitter
u/Zealotstim
Are you just pointing out that it's possible for some of them to get them, or are you suggesting that there's no point in trying to restrict smartphone use among young children?
u/Wonderful-Cup-9556
There’s also a tremendous amount of peer pressure exerted on children at this age and parents who have the resources to give their children a phone start the pressure to have every child with
u/Zikkan1
I have never seen a 12 year old without a phone
u/Smallsey
Mind health. I like that
u/lordnecro
My 8 year old has one. It has tracking and we can contact each other. Useful when he is playing with the neighborhood kids.
But he is not playing games on it or accessing social media or any
u/quiksilver10152
Same for us. But we both know where the majority of the deleterious effects are originating.
u/Equivalent-Artist899
I got my first cell phone at 12yo, yes
u/EscapeFacebook
Because I can tell my kid about all the dangers, illegal things and predators I saw and I did as a child without her having to experience them. My kid doesn't need to hang out in AOL chat roo
u/Talentagentfriend
Social media is worse. Smartphones are a strong avenue to social media, especially in younger kids.
u/Zikkan1
Maybe it's different in your country but that's not the case where I live. 97% of 12 year olds have a phone. So if you aren't part of those 97% you are naturally excluded from a lot of stuff.
u/EscapeFacebook
Maybe, but kids not listening is due to parents that don't take their kids seriously.
u/RScrewed
Devil's advocate:
You're confident being exposed to every terrible thing on the internet as a child actually made you a worse off adult?
What if not having seen those things at all resul
u/quiksilver10152
Same for us. But we both know where the majority of the deleterious effects are originating.
u/bisikletci
"For example, those who owned a smartphone at age 13 scored an average of 30, dropping to just 1 for those who had one at age five."
Imo it's a bit misleading of the article to report this w
u/Galeharry_
Likely because thats the age you have to be to legally have an account on most sites like social media etc.
u/peachywitchybitchy
I’m pointing out that is possible to get them even if the parents aren’t helping, I’m sorry for not making it more clear.
u/Smallsey
Mind health. I like that
u/Reaper_456
Would they say the same thing for people who were exposed to video games at a young age? I kinda want to know simply because there's a boat load of people who fed their kids games at a young
u/RScrewed
Devil's advocate:
You're confident being exposed to every terrible thing on the internet as a child actually made you a worse off adult?
What if not having seen those things at all resul
u/mvea
I’ve linked to the press release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.108
u/drmike0099
They didn’t cut it off at 13, they did the scoring and it looked like the negative effect leveled off at 13 and 13 was essentially the same as ages older than that.
u/truthovertribe
I recommend The book "Careless People" by Sarah Wynn-Williams.
It describes her tenure at Facebook .
The real concerns revealed in this book are the entitlement, the hunger for power, growth
u/Spazheart12
Whats your generation?
u/Potential-Jury3661
Yeah but adults can make their own choices, usually early teenagers cant and dont buy cellphones gor themselves.
u/helm
I can speak for that generation a bit:
1. We were more active. Sitting inside playing video games was a thing, but often just a small part of childhood.
2. The ability to concentrate was gen
u/drmike0099
This is about cell phone use and wasn’t looking at social media directly.
u/helm
I can speak for that generation a bit:
1. We were more active. Sitting inside playing video games was a thing, but often just a small part of childhood.
2. The ability to concentrate was gen