An increasing number of parents are rejecting to provide their children with smartphones, and this trend is expanding worldwide.

• An international organization that supports parents in not giving their children smartphones was founded in February and has expanded to the U.S., Canada, and beyond.
• The use of smartphones and social media is linked to mental health issues in children, which has fueled the popularity of the movement.
• Young people have been negatively impacted by the widespread adoption of a phone-based upbringing, according to research scientist Zach Rausch at New York University Stern School of Business, as reported by CNBC.

In the U.K., a grassroots organization is supporting parents who are avoiding giving their children smartphones due to growing evidence linking smartphone use with mental health harms in kids.

Daisy Greenwell and Clare Fernyhough founded Smartphone Free Childhood in February, which quickly grew to over 60,000 members through local group chats across the U.K.

The growing interest in the movement is fueled by worries about the normalization of children using smartphones. In the U.K., 97% of children aged 12 own a mobile phone, as per Ofcom, the government-approved regulator for communication services in the country.

In the U.S., 91% of children aged 14 had a smartphone, compared to 42% aged 10, according to a 2021 report by Common Sense, which surveyed 1,306 young people in the U.S. between the ages of eight to 18.

While parents are giving their children smartphones for various reasons such as entertainment, location tracking, and staying in touch, studies and experts warn of the potential negative impact on mental health due to social media exposure.

Parents who are not giving their children smartphones to avoid peer pressure and isolation are being brought together by SFC.

The company's success has led to its international expansion, with branches established in the U.S., Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and numerous other countries.

The U.K. government, led by the Conservative Party, issued new guidance just days after the SFC campaign launch, prohibiting the use of smartphones in schools and during break times.

In certain regions of the U.S., such as Los Angeles and states like Florida and Indiana, cell phone usage is prohibited in schools.

Independent organizations are being established worldwide, such as Wait Until 8th in Austin, Unplugged in Canada, No Es Momento in Mexico, and the Heads Up Alliance in Australia.

Despite the opinions of some academics and scientists, there is a link between smartphones and poor mental health, according to psychology professor Christopher Ferguson, who stated this to NBC News earlier this year.

Amplified mental health issues?

A study published last year by Sapien Labs revealed that young people who acquired a smartphone earlier in life experienced worse mental health outcomes.

The research utilized information from 27,969 individuals aged 18-24, collected between January and April 2023, across 41 countries, including North America, Europe, Latin America, Oceania, South Asia, and Africa.

According to the study, 74% of female respondents who got their first smartphone at age six reported feeling distressed or struggling. This percentage decreased to 61% for those who acquired their first smartphone at age 10, and 52% for those who were aged 15.

The percentage of males experiencing distress or struggle decreased from 42% to 36% among those who received their first smartphone at age six compared to those who got their first smartphone at age 18.

Those who got their first smartphone later in life reported better mental health, with fewer suicidal thoughts and feelings of aggression, and less detachment from reality.

The research findings are motivating parents to act, according to Zach Rausch, a research scientist at New York University Stern School of Business and the lead researcher for Jonathon Haidt's top-selling book "The Anxious Generation."

In an interview with CNBC Make It, Rausch stated that the mass migration into a phone-based childhood has been detrimental to young people.

""The evidence of harm has been mounting year after year, and now parents are speaking up about it, leading to a growing movement of concerned parents coming together," he said."

The combination of smartphones and social media is particularly harmful to young people, according to Rausch.

A study of about 19,000 young people born in the UK between 2000 and 2002 revealed a strong link between social media use and depressive symptoms, including low self-esteem, online harassment, and poor body image.

Rausch stated that the convergence of smartphones and social media resulted in a novel mode of interaction.

"Your smartphone, designed to maximize phone usage, has social media built-in and is addictive in nature, trying to hook you."

The parent company of Instagram and Facebook has faced criticism from lawmakers and parents for exposing children and teenagers to harmful content on its platforms, including accusations of child sexual exploitation.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has urged lawmakers to provide more guidance and regulations to combat harmful online content. In response to growing pressure, the tech giant announced in January 2024 that it would limit the type of content that teenage users of Instagram and Facebook can view, including self-harm, eating disorders, and nudity.

Some tech firms are attempting to create smartphone and social media platforms that are suitable for children. In 2015, Google introduced YouTube Kids, a separate app that features child-friendly content and parental controls, similar to YouTube.

Apple recently launched a website promoting the Apple Watch for kids who are too young for smartphones. The device, managed by parents' iPhones, allows them to stay connected with their children.