evidence.
please bear with us, this section is under construction.
SEXUAL CONTENT AND
BEHAVIOR
…exposing children to sexual & offensive content
​
-
90% of girls and 50% of boys say they and their peers are sent explicit pictures or videos of things they do not want to see
-
36% of children aged 8-17 said they had seen something ‘worrying or nasty’ online in the past 12 months
-
51% of 11 to 13 year olds say they have seen pornography online​
…pressuring girls into sending sexual images of themselves
​
-
80% of teenage girls are being put under pressure to provide sexual images of themselves
-
Girls are commonly contacted by multiple boys a night asking for ‘nudes’ (naked/ semi-naked images)
…exposing children to sexual abuse and grooming
​
-
1,058% increase since 2019 of webpages showing sexual abuse of 7-10 year old children
PHYSICAL HEALTH
…damaging children's eyes
​
-
Children’s myopia risk (shortsightedness) is linked to smartphone use
…contributing to obesity in children
​
-
9 hrs/day average screen time in kids with a smartphone
-
43% higher risk of obesity for those using smartphones for 5+ hrs/day
…preventing children playing outside
​
-
Children spend twice as long looking at screens as playing outside
…damaging development of children’s spine
​
-
Studies of young, healthy individuals show habitual use of smartphones causes musculoskeletal problems
-
Paediatricians, chiropractors and physiotherapists are warning of “text neck syndrome”
…stopping kids getting enough sleep
​
-
57% more teens sleep deprived in 2015 than in 1991
-
When they should be sleeping 80% of teens are using smartphones
FOCUS AND BRAIN CHANGES
…reducing children’s academic performance
​
-
Smartphones reduce memory and recall accuracy, even when not in use
-
Children who spend 5-7 hrs/day on a digital device are 49 points (equivalent of two school years) behind children who are on a screen <1hr/day
…creating structural changes to children’s brains
​​
-
MRI scans of young children shows screen time reduces the size of the brain areas responsible for visual processing, empathy, attention, complex memory and early reading skills
MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH
…responsible for the huge increase in cyberbullying
​​
-
Children no longer have respite from bullies at home
-
84% of bullying to children with smartphones happens online
…increasing depression and anxiety in children
​​
-
A 2023 study of 27,969 18-24 year olds found that mental health outcomes were significantly better the older the young person was when they got a smartphone.
-
Depression, feelings of aggression, suicidal thoughts, low self-confidence, poor self-image, detachment and weak relationships increase for every year younger a child is given a smartphone – even in those with no traumatic or adverse childhood experience
…increasing loneliness in children
​​
-
Loneliness has doubled in children since 2012
-
School loneliness is highest where access to smartphones and internet use is high
…making children more likely to self-harm
​
-
194% increase in emergency department visits for self-harm by 10-14 year olds girls (94% for boys)
-
Up to 30% of teenage girls report purposefully hurting themselves without wanting to die in the last year
The first generation of children who were given smartphones in primary school are now adults.
​
We now know for every year younger they were given smartphones by their parents, the worse their mental health is today.
​
Sources:
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
…hinder development of social skills and relationships
​​
-
Children with smartphones spend longer in a virtual world without human interaction
-
The quality of family relationships and friendships decreases for every year younger a child is given a smartphone
-
Social Self – how we see ourselves and relate to others – shows the most significant and steepest improvement with older age
-
The daily average of 5-8 hours adds up to 1,000 to 2,000 hours a year that would otherwise be spent in face-to-face social interactions, learning and mastering these important skills and building strong relationships