Rising smartphone usage among children causing increased mental health issues
In a groundbreaking study published by Sapiens Labs and featured in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, it has been revealed that children under the age of 13 who use smartphones are at a significantly higher risk of developing mental health issues. The research, based on data from 100,000 young people aged 18 to 24, found that a child who received a phone at the age of 13 had a mental health score of 30, while those who received a phone at age five had a score of just one.
The study's lead author, Tara Thiagarajan, expressed surprise at the findings, highlighting the potential negative impacts of early smartphone use on young minds. Thiagarajan suggested that young people in development, who often lack world experience, are more vulnerable in the online environment, making them more at risk.
In light of these findings, there are growing calls for stricter regulations or guidelines on smartphone use for children under 13. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has proposed nationwide norms in the U.S., such as not giving children smartphones before high school, banning social media use before the age of 16, and establishing phone-free zones in schools to mitigate mental health impacts.
Currently, regulations on smartphone use for children under 13 vary by country. While many social media platforms and online services set their minimum user age at 13, in line with the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), specific laws directly regulating smartphone ownership by young children are rare. However, several European countries have introduced restrictions on social media use by minors, including France, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Portugal.
Outside of Europe, Australia imposed a general social media ban for children and youth under 16 in November 2024. Phones are largely banned in schools in France, the Netherlands, Italy, and Luxembourg. Thiagarajan also suggested that social media platforms should have age-appropriate restrictions.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends families develop screen-time plans, limit non-educational screen time, and teach children about safe and responsible media use, though these are recommendations rather than laws. Other experts suggest encouraging parents to model responsible smartphone use and employ parental controls or simpler phone types for younger children as harm-reduction strategies.
Recent studies have also highlighted that girls are particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of smartphone use, with 9.5% of the girls surveyed reporting mental health problems compared to 7% of boys. The study also found that older teens suffer from smartphone use, with worse mental health scores in the 18- to 20-year-old cohort, which the study suggests could be due to intense screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As awareness of these issues increases, concrete legislative changes may follow. However, as of mid-2025, no major countries have enacted strict legal bans on smartphone ownership or use for children under 13. The study's findings have intensified calls for stronger regulations or guidelines to protect the mental health of young people in the digital age.
- Tara Thiagarajan, the study's lead author, expressed surprise at the findings, suggesting that young children are at a higher risk of mental health issues due to early smartphone use, particularly those who lack world experience.
- In an attempt to mitigate mental health impacts, experts have proposed nationwide norms in the U.S., such as not giving children smartphones before high school, banning social media use before the age of 16, and establishing phone-free zones in schools.
- Recent studies have shown that girls are particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of smartphone use, with a higher percentage reporting mental health problems compared to boys, and older teens showing worse mental health scores.
