Most Teens Want to Cut Their Screen Time

Almost two-thirds of young people ages 13-18 claim they wish they were better able to self-limit how much time they spend on their smartphone, according to a survey of more than 1,000 teens by Screen Education, which consults and conducts research and workshops on "digital wellness" issues.

Even more (68%) said they’d attempted to reduce their screen time and 26% said they wished someone else would limit their screen time for them. More than half who attend a school that bans smartphones in class said they were glad of that policy.

“These kids know their phones are compromising so many aspects of their lives and they want help, Michael Mercier, president of Screen Education, said in a statement. He recommended imposing “reasonable limits” on screen time and cultivating teens’ ability to police their own screen time.

Among the survey’s other findings:

• 69% of respondents said they wish they could spend more time in face-to-face interactions rather than socializing online.

• 32% want to stop using their phone but find themselves unable to do so—every day.

• 41% said they feel overwhelmed every day by their notifications.

• 41% said phones present an obstacle to getting the best grades they can.

• 36% said they witness cyberbullying on a weekly basis.

• 31% have seen online bullying escalate to physical violence.

• 73% said they feel social media use is a factor in conditions that can lead to school shootings.

Tech/Social Face Rising Addiction Concerns

Cal Newport, an associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University, challenged readers of his Study Hacks blog (dedicated to exploring “how to perform productive, valuable, and meaningful work in an increasingly distracted digital age”) to cut out all digital interaction that wasn’t crucial to their job or personal/family life for the month of January. After that, they could gradually resume interactions that still seemed to have value.

Of the almost 2,000 people who said they’d try the unplugging experiment, many reported exploring new hobbies, as well as discovering just how dependent they’d let themselves become on phone apps and websites.

Newport’s challenge is part of a growing debate on the role social media and digital technology play in our lives and their impact on society. At the beginning of the year, the investment management firm Jana Partners LLC and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System sent a letter to Apple, asking the tech giant to consider the “unintentional negative consequences” its products may be having on children and teenagers. They recommended forming a panel of experts to study the issue, more funding for research on it, and better parental controls for Apple devices.

While “technology addiction” isn’t yet an officially sanctioned diagnosis in the U.S., brain-imaging studies and other research is finding evidence that overuse of electronic devices can present problems for young people and their developing brains. Some in the treatment community view the issue as a matter of habit rather than addiction, but even without scientific consensus or official recognition, more and more facilities and programs are being established to help children and teens deal with digital or social media dependence.

As digital media becomes increasingly embedded in education, schools and instructors will need to model and encourage healthier relationships with technology.

If evidence of real harm accumulates and more people cut back in favor of “digital minimalism,” the tech industry and social media platforms may need to re-examine their business models. As noted by NPR, “as long as these companies make their money from advertising, they will have incentive to try to design products that maximize the time you spend using them, whether or not it makes your life better.”

Changes may already be emerging, as evidenced by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s New Year’s resolution to amend many of his platform’s flaws. As a first step, new standards this year mean that Facebook users will now see more content from friends, family, and groups in their News Feed and less from companies, brands, and media. Posts that facilitate more meaningful social interactions will be encouraged, and that shift will be expanded across all of Facebook’s products over time.