European Parent Groups Aim to Ban Smartphones for Teens
2024-07-31
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1If parents say "no" when a child asks for a smartphone, the response they are likely to hear is, "Everyone has one. Why can't I?"
2That is the way that some parents in Europe are thinking.
3They are concerned by evidence that smartphone use among young children threatens their safety and mental health.
4They believe that the more parents join their movement, the more powerful their ideas become.
5Parents in Spain, Britain and Ireland are using social media groups on services like WhatsApp and Telegram to talk about their plans.
6They want to keep smartphones out of schools.
7But for their plan to work, other parents have to refuse to buy children the devices before - or even into - their teenage years.
8Elisabet García Permanyer got involved after she talked with another parent in a Barcelona park.
9Last year, she started a social media group to share information on the dangers of the internet with families at her children's school.
10The group, called "Adolescence Free of Mobile Phones," quickly grew and now includes over 10,000 members.
11The most involved parents are asking other parents to agree not to get their children smartphones until they are 16.
12"When I started this, I just hoped I would find four other families who thought like me, but it took off and kept growing, growing and growing," García Permanyer said.
13"My goal was to try to join forces with other parents so we could push back the point when smartphones arrive. I said, 'I am going to try so that my kids are not the only ones who don't have one.'"
14Police and public health experts have also been voicing concerns about the kind of materials that children can see on their mobile devices.
15Spain's government took note of the problem and banned smartphones from elementary schools in January.
16Now they can only be turned on in secondary school, which starts at age 12, if a teacher deems it necessary for an educational activity.
17In Britain last year, a 16-year-old girl named Brianna Ghey was killed by two teenagers.
18Her mother demanded that social media on smartphones be limited for children under 16.
19Mother Daisy Greenwell, who lives in the area of Suffolk, England, and a friend, Clare Reynolds, set up a social media group called Parents United for a Smartphone-Free Childhood.
20It grew quickly and an organizer said it now has groups in every British county.
21In Greystones, Ireland, eight primary school leaders, or principals, wrote to parents, asking them not to buy their students smartphones.
22Then the parents themselves voluntarily signed written agreements, promising not to let their young children have the devices.
23Thirty-eight-year-old Christina Capatina is a Greystones parent of two young daughters.
24She signed the agreement and said there were almost no smartphones in schools this school year.
25Studies from Spain, Britain, and Ireland show that by the time children are 12, most have smartphones.
26In Spain, 25 percent of children have a cellphone by age 10, and almost 50 percent by age 11. At 12, this share rises to 75 percent.
27British media regulator Ofcom said 55 percent of children in Britain owned a smartphone between ages eight and 11, with the figure rising to 97 percent by age 12.
28Over recent years, organizations, governments, and parents have been reporting that smartphone use by children is linked to bullying, mental health problems and loss of the focus necessary for learning.
29China moved last year to limit children's use of smartphones.
30France has a ban on smartphones in schools for children aged six to 15.
31The possible dangers have produced school bans on smartphones and online safety laws.
32But those measures do not deal with what children do outside of school with mobile phones.
33Parents and schools that have pushed for changes in their communities saw that it became possible the moment they understood that they were not alone.
34Rachel Harper is principal of St. Patrick's National School in Greystones.
35Harper wants parents to work with their local school to organize phone bans.
36She said, "There's a bit more strength that way, in that all the parents in the area are talking about it."
37I'm Jill Robbins.
38And I'm Mario Ritter.
1If parents say "no" when a child asks for a smartphone, the response they are likely to hear is, "Everyone has one. Why can't I?" 2But what would happen if the child's friends did not have a mobile phone either? 3That is the way that some parents in Europe are thinking. 4They are concerned by evidence that smartphone use among young children threatens their safety and mental health. They believe that the more parents join their movement, the more powerful their ideas become. 5Parents in Spain, Britain and Ireland are using social media groups on services like WhatsApp and Telegram to talk about their plans. They want to keep smartphones out of schools. But for their plan to work, other parents have to refuse to buy children the devices before - or even into - their teenage years. 6Elisabet García Permanyer got involved after she talked with another parent in a Barcelona park. Last year, she started a social media group to share information on the dangers of the internet with families at her children's school. 7The group, called "Adolescence Free of Mobile Phones," quickly grew and now includes over 10,000 members. The most involved parents are asking other parents to agree not to get their children smartphones until they are 16. 8"When I started this, I just hoped I would find four other families who thought like me, but it took off and kept growing, growing and growing," García Permanyer said. "My goal was to try to join forces with other parents so we could push back the point when smartphones arrive. I said, 'I am going to try so that my kids are not the only ones who don't have one.'" 9Spain 10Police and public health experts have also been voicing concerns about the kind of materials that children can see on their mobile devices. Spain's government took note of the problem and banned smartphones from elementary schools in January. Now they can only be turned on in secondary school, which starts at age 12, if a teacher deems it necessary for an educational activity. 11Britain 12In Britain last year, a 16-year-old girl named Brianna Ghey was killed by two teenagers. Her mother demanded that social media on smartphones be limited for children under 16. 13Mother Daisy Greenwell, who lives in the area of Suffolk, England, and a friend, Clare Reynolds, set up a social media group called Parents United for a Smartphone-Free Childhood. It grew quickly and an organizer said it now has groups in every British county. 14Ireland 15In Greystones, Ireland, eight primary school leaders, or principals, wrote to parents, asking them not to buy their students smartphones. Then the parents themselves voluntarily signed written agreements, promising not to let their young children have the devices. 16Thirty-eight-year-old Christina Capatina is a Greystones parent of two young daughters. She signed the agreement and said there were almost no smartphones in schools this school year. 17Unity is powerful 18Studies from Spain, Britain, and Ireland show that by the time children are 12, most have smartphones. In Spain, 25 percent of children have a cellphone by age 10, and almost 50 percent by age 11. At 12, this share rises to 75 percent. British media regulator Ofcom said 55 percent of children in Britain owned a smartphone between ages eight and 11, with the figure rising to 97 percent by age 12. 19Over recent years, organizations, governments, and parents have been reporting that smartphone use by children is linked to bullying, mental health problems and loss of the focus necessary for learning. China moved last year to limit children's use of smartphones. France has a ban on smartphones in schools for children aged six to 15. 20The possible dangers have produced school bans on smartphones and online safety laws. But those measures do not deal with what children do outside of school with mobile phones. Parents and schools that have pushed for changes in their communities saw that it became possible the moment they understood that they were not alone. 21Rachel Harper is principal of St. Patrick's National School in Greystones. Harper wants parents to work with their local school to organize phone bans. She said, "There's a bit more strength that way, in that all the parents in the area are talking about it." 22I'm Jill Robbins. 23And I'm Mario Ritter. 24Joseph Wilson and Laurie Kellman reported this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. 25______________________________________________ 26Words in This Story 27adolescence - n. the period of life when a child develops into an adult 28take off - v. (phrasal) to quickly become very popular 29push (something) back - v. (phrasal) to change (a planned event) to start at a later date or time 30bullying -n. the act of using threats and force to get others to do what you want them to do 31focus - n. the ability to direct your attention or effort at something specific 32What do you think of this story? Write to us in the Comments Section.