Parents are working together in Brazil to restrict access to cell phones to children over 14. The aim is to ensure that no one feels excluded. But studies show that smartphones can also have positive effects on children.
00:01Around the globe, parent-led efforts aim to delay children getting smartphones until they're a bit older.
00:08In Brazil, one such initiative is called Movimento Desconecta.
00:13They aim for phone users to be over 14 years old.
00:18We believe that children should only have their own smartphone once they're old enough to handle it.
00:25We think that's the best way to deal with the risks that come with the use.
00:31This campaign tries to get larger groups or entire schools to participate.
00:39Participating means agreeing to stop using digital technology until the children turn 14.
00:45But other parents are worried that this might make some students feel excluded.
00:52If you ban smartphones, especially things like WhatsApp, which is where you communicate with others
00:58and get invited to parties, well, some kids might end up missing out.
01:06A study conducted in Florida showed that around 80% of 11- to 13-year-olds possess their own smartphones.
01:14Those without phones are in a minority, which doesn't make things better.
01:17Kids who are in a minority, you know, in any sense, are often likely to experience marginalization or cyberbullying or any other type of mistreatment.
01:29And there are also positive sides to smartphones.
01:34Kids who owned smartphones fared better on basically every measure of wellness that we assessed.
01:43Kids who have their own smartphones in our study were more likely to spend time in person with friends each week.
01:49They were also more likely to spend more time online with friends.
01:55One of the biggest issues related to smartphones is social media.
01:59A Danish study found that on average, children aged 9 to 14 spend three hours per day on TikTok and YouTube,
02:07apps that can contain disturbing content.
02:10The problem might not lie in the device itself.
02:13It might be what children are using that device for.
