4 Rules for Social Media to Reduce Mental Illness in Children
Jonathan Haidt proposes four rules to reverse the escalation of mental illness in children linked to smartphone/social media use.
Jonathan Haidt continues to do insightful, rigorous, and honest academic work. I’ve benefitted from all of his writings and love the gentleness and care with which he shares his ideas and convictions.
In this short video, Haidt addresses social media's impact on children's mental health. It’s pretty eye-opening. But instead of just highlighting the challenges, he pivots quickly to practical solutions, including four key rules that are within reach of all of us:
No smartphone before high school.
No social media until 16.
Phone-free schools.
Limiting access to addictive devices for adults.
While implementing #4 has been challenging for me due to the nature of my “always on” job, my wife and I have worked hard to make rules 1-3 a priority in our household. We haven’t been perfect, but we have course-corrected quickly once we realized a revision was necessary. It has not been easy, but it has been extremely fruitful. Removing and limiting screen time and social media will absolutely strengthen your child’s well-being and begin to change the culture of your home in positive ways.
I know that for some parents it feels like that ship has sailed; setting boundaries with social media now feels like an impossibility. The machines have taken over.
Please reconsider.
Explore Haidt's insights, and fight for what’s best for your child.