Phone-free schools and childhood device limits

In their words

“Implementing phone-free policies during school hours can reduce the negative impact of smartphones and social media on adolescents and enhance their learning by promoting in-person connection and focus on real life.”

a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Parents are the only ones who can stop the negative impact of social media on their children because the companies will not stop due to financial incentives.

  a media host and psychologist with a lapsed clinical license

• She calls for regulation of social media for kids under the age of 16 to protect their mental health.

  a psychoanalyst and author of Being There

• Delaying smartphones and social media use is part of the #fournorms proposed to protect kids' health and reduce negative mental health impacts.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Enforcing phone-free schools is recommended to provide healthier environments for kids' mental health and reduce distractions.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Delaying smartphone and social media use is achievable when parents in a friend group band together to resist social pressure and add healthy activities back in.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Schools should be phone-free from first to last bell to reduce internet drama, improve focus, and enhance socialization among students.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Dumb phones are acceptable as they are less addictive and allow communication with parents.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Implementing bell-to-bell phone-free school policies leads to kids happily engaging with each other without phone distractions.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Phone-free schools are recommended to support healthier childhood development and reduce phone dependency.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Parents should agree to delay smartphones until age 14 to protect children from the harms of smartphone addiction and social exclusion.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Implementing phone-free schools can help reduce smartphone addiction and promote healthier social interactions among students.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Leaving your phone in another room or leaving the house without it is a fantastic way to lessen the powerful dopamine pull a smartphone creates, especially in teens and preteens.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Physical separation from the phone reduces dopamine-driven attachment and addiction, enabling longer focus and flow states.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Schools should implement phone-free policies to prevent distractions and inappropriate phone use during class time.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Having one or two extra cell phones kept only on the first floor of the house allows children to stay connected when necessary without having personal smartphones, promoting communal living and limiting distractions.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Banning phones during the instructional day leads to students taking notes, completing assignments, asking for help, and engaging in conversation, showing clear educational benefits.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Studies show when phones are on or near a person, they are a distraction, decrease test results, interfere with social development, and lead to attention fragmentation, so schools should implement phone-free policies for the entire school day.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Phone-free school policies provide students 6-7 hours free from internet drama, giving their dopamine systems a break and grounding them in real life, which improves focus and socialization.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Implementing phone-free schools can help reduce the negative impacts of smartphone use on children's attention and social skills.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• The four norms recommend no smartphone until age 14 and no social media before age 16 to protect kids' mental health and freedom.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Phone-free schools are encouraged to reduce social media's negative impact on kids' social and emotional well-being.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Implementing phone-free schools is part of collective action to reverse harmful effects of smartphone and social media use on youth.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Limiting phone use, including phone-free days and raising social media age limits, is an effective response to mitigate harm.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Turning off the cell phone when arriving home and spending focused time with spouse and children can improve availability and connection in the family.

  a media host and psychologist with a lapsed clinical license

• Parents should be on the alert and go through their kids' smartphones because it gives the world access to their kids, not the other way around.

  a mental health counselor and authorsponsored

• The only policy that has been found to get kids to pay attention and be available to teachers and peers is a truly phone-free school day where phones are kept away from bell to bell.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Schools that implement phone-free policies see improvements in children's social connections, happiness, and liking of school, which supports better mental health.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• He advocates for no phones in schools to encourage social interaction and reduce distractions.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Phones should be banned throughout the entire school day with students storing them in lockers or envelopes to reduce distractions and anxiety.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

• Banning phones in class led to all students engaging fully with the lesson, completing assignments, and interacting socially, suggesting it is an effective solution.

  a social psychologist and NYU Stern professor

Hear every voice

With care

Some of the minds attach conditions. These are worth reading before you begin.

• Disconnecting from digital conveniences like phone tracking and Amazon Prime can increase calmness and reduce perceived needs, though it involves short-term inconvenience and effort.

  a mental health counselor and author