Back-to-school shopping is in full swing, and parents might be wondering whether they should be getting their child a smartphone this year.
Jonathan Haidt, author of “The Anxious Generation,” a book about how smartphones and social media are creating a rise in mental illness among children, shared his advice.
“The most important thing parents can do is delay the age at which their child gets immersed into internet culture,” Haidt said.
And many studies support that theory. A recent study from the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities found smartphone use before age 13 was linked to a decline in mental health and well-being.
The data was self-reported and it’s unknown what type of cellphones they were using.
Haidt, a social psychologist at New York University, said kids between the ages of 10-14 are particularly vulnerable.
“We must protect kids’ brains at that age, that’s when the maximum damage is done, especially for girls,” Haidt said.
There is good news for parents, though. Many companies are advancing their technology with parental controls and kid-friendly features.
If you’re getting your child an iPhone, Apple says it’s important to create an account for them and enter their age.
“That’s an important step because what that does is it then creates privacy protections throughout their experience,” said Julia Deiuliis, a product manager for Apple.
Deiuliis said parents can also manage how much time their child is on the phone with Apple’s screen time. The “Find My” app allows you to track your child’s location and gives you alerts, like when they leave school.
“We also have features like communication safety, which can detect nudity in photos and videos that children either receive or attempt to send, and that provides warnings and helpful resources,” Deiuliis said.
Google Family Link offers parental features for both iPhones and Androids to monitor your kids.