Social media apps are the main content. The effect of state laws governing phone use at school “remains to be seen,” says the paper’s senior author.
- Jan 6
- 1 min read
U.S. adolescents spend more than one hour per day on smartphones during school hours, with social media accounting for the largest share of use, according to research published today in JAMA. The findings have relevance for educators, parents and policymakers.
The study reflects the behavior of 640 adolescents ages 13-18. They and their parents had consented to have software placed on their Android cellphones that allowed use to be passively monitored. Usage was measured between September 2022 and May 2024.
“These apps are designed to be addictive. They deprive students of the opportunity to be fully engaged in class and to hone their social skills with classmates and teachers,” said Dr. Dimitri Christakis, the paper’s senior author. He is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine and practices at Seattle Children's Hospital.
Dr. Christakis is right calling these apps addictive. Laws might help, but schools really need better ways to keep attention without going overboard. In my own routine, setting smart limits works way better than bans. Feels similar to how Oteemo managed devsecops adds protection without breaking everything. Hope someone figures this out soon.
A coworker recently decided to try online dating again after taking a long break from apps and websites. At first he thought the experience was entertaining because he enjoyed meeting new people and chatting during the evenings after work. A few weeks later he noticed unexpected subscription renewals and had trouble updating profile settings the way he wanted. After getting annoyed by the confusing menus, he started searching for match customer service hoping to find a quicker way to solve the account and payment issues.