A movement led by parents in the UK is gaining traction, pushing for a delay in giving smartphones to children until at least the end of Year 9. The Smartphone Free Childhood initiative, founded by Daisy Greenwell, her husband Joe Ryrie, and Clare Fernyhough, has garnered support from over 124,000 parents in more than 13,000 British schools. Concerns about the addictive nature of smartphones and the negative impact of social media on mental health are driving this movement.
The initiative aligns with a broader shift in attitudes in Britain regarding smartphone addiction, social media harms, and the exposure of children to extreme and violent online content. Other European countries have taken steps to limit children’s smartphone use, with Denmark and France implementing bans in schools.
While the British government has been hesitant to intervene, parents like Vicky Allen and Julia Cassidy are taking matters into their own hands by campaigning for limits on smartphone use in schools. They are joining forces with the Smartphone Free Childhood initiative to delay smartphone access for their children.
The movement is growing as parents become more aware of the negative consequences of excessive smartphone use, such as increased rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm among teenagers. The power of parents collectively delaying smartphones for their children is seen as a crucial step in protecting them from the pressures of social media.
Colindale Primary School in London and the borough of Barnet are leading the way by implementing bans on smartphones in schools. Other schools, like Eton, have also adopted similar measures. The founders of Smartphone Free Childhood acknowledge the role of technology in spreading their message and emphasize the importance of having a societal conversation about when children should have unrestricted access to smartphones.
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