EBN- Prince Harry joined author and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, for a conversation about smartphones, social media and their impact on young people.
Duke of Sussex , 40, began their conversation by saying that “in many cases, the smartphone steals a young person’s childhood.”
Haidt noted that people born after 1995 and living in English-speaking countries are reaching adulthood with high rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide, all as a direct result of smartphones.
Social Media Companies: Parents Are Responsible for Parenting
For their part, as Prince Harry pointed out, social media companies are pointing the finger at parents for the growing mental health crisis , arguing that parenting is up to parents.
Haidt rejected this, saying that once kids have phones and social media, the rest of family life turns into a fight over screen time, and that happens everywhere.
As the conversation continued, the Duke of Sussex, who is father to Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3, added that he had learned from the Archewell Foundation Insight Sessions that parents want their children to have a phone, especially in case of an emergency at school. “Just give them a phone, don’t give them a supercomputer connected to everyone in the world,” Haidt replied.
Alternative to social media
Prince Harry suggested that young people have a perception of social media as a “lifeline” and that it “provides an additional outlet and resource” for children. Haidt explained that this is a common “myth,” suggesting that the solution for children to feel more connected is to put down their phones and connect in person.
