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The opportunity to stay in touch with peers or addiction to screens? Where is the line drawn between the positive and negative impact of smartphone use on children and young people? The Council of Europe is calling on countries to make greater efforts to protect children’s mental health in the digital environment.

We can look into the bus, the school lobby or a park bench, screens are often lit up in the hands of children and teenagers. Smartphones have become an integral part of us and teenagers are no exception. Today, mobile phones are not only used for making calls, they are a tool for entertainment, escape, but also for contact. Nevertheless, intensive use of smartphones also poses risks. Regularly staying up all night in front of a screen worsens the quality of sleep, passivity when watching content can lead to overweight or loss of attention in the offline space.

According to a 2023 study that tracked technology use among 3- to 17-year-olds, 69 percent of them use a mobile phone to access the internet, and 64 percent use a tablet. The researchers also noted a growing ownership of these devices from the age of eight, with almost every teenager having one by the age of 12, and the level remaining the same into adulthood. “This acceleration coincides with the transition of many children from primary school to secondary school,” the experts emphasized in the study.

Most households with children have internet access at home. Source: freepik.com

Children have relatively easy access to the internet, as another report confirmed that up to 97 percent of households with children have access to the internet, which is more than the average for all households (94 percent). We can point out various benefits of this access, such as education during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many children learned online.

On the other hand, there are multiple social networks with diverse content. Research from 2022 showed that six out of ten children (62 percent) aged three to 17 had a profile on a social network in 2021. However, the findings are alarming that despite the age limit of 13 on most social platforms, 33 percent of children aged five to seven and 60 percent of children aged eight to 11 had a profile.

The world is reminded of the risks

Several researchers in their studies from recent years agree on the negative impact of screens and notifications on children and young people. For example, there is an unfavorable relationship between excessive use of screens and sleep quality in children and adolescents. Scientists have described three mechanisms that are manifested by delayed falling asleep and shortening the total sleep time. First of all, it is a shift in the time regime, i.e. evening time spent in front of the screen replaces sleep time. Media content, which can be emotionally demanding, or exposure to blue light emitted from screens, also has a negative impact. Research has also shown that notifications from news at night wake up a significant part of young people.

The proven link between screen time and increased obesity in children is also problematic. In 2017, experts found that watching videos led to increased eating of high-calorie foods. However, the connection between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and screen use remains a subject of debate. However, several scientists and health professionals have expressed some concerns about the role of screens in the increase in the diagnosis . Last but not least, children are also exposed to cyberbullying in addition to inappropriate content. This can take many forms, and researchers found that children bullied online were often bullied at school.

Digital tools: both a help and a threat

Despite frequent concerns about the negative effects of technology, scientists confirm several advantages and benefits from its use. One of them is the development of fine motor skills in young children and the support of mental health. For example, such video calls during the separation of children and youth can, according to an experimental study, lead to greater satisfaction compared to classic audio calls.

Children perceive smartphones, according to a study from this year, as a tool that helps them search for information, fight boredom, or be part of multimedia content. Interestingly, the way they use them also depends on whether they have their own phone. Those who own one use it more often for communication or school purposes. Children who use their parents’ smartphone perceive it more as a source of entertainment.

Using screens before bed has a negative impact on sleep quality in children. Source: freepik.com

Protection up to EU level

The need to protect children and young people online is recognised not only by experts but also at the international level. At the end of July , the Council of Europe approved a number of recommendations to ensure the use of digital tools in a safe and healthy way without endangering the mental health of children and young people. The call for EU countries and the European Commission includes:

  • Working with the digital industry, local authorities, schools and parents to create a safer digital environment.
  • Raising awareness among parents and teachers about the risks of the digital environment and the benefits of later and gradual introduction of screens into children’s lives.
  • Campaigns focused on media and digital literacy of young people with an emphasis on resilience against cyberbullying and disinformation.
  • Better design of apps and platforms that respect privacy and protect young people from manipulative content.
  • Improving mechanisms for reporting inappropriate behavior or content to help combat online sexual exploitation.

In Slovakia, an amendment to the law helps

At the beginning of this year, an amendment to the law regulating the use of mobile phones in schools came into force in Slovakia. According to the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic, the regulation of mobile phones is one of the tools in the field of strengthening the mental health of children and youth. “The new rules are based on international analyses, UNESCO recommendations and scientific knowledge from the field of psychology and pedagogy,” the Ministry of Education stated .

The ban on mobile phones is intended to contribute to greater concentration and better relationships in the classroom. Source: freepik.com

The complete ban on the use of mobile phones applies to the 1st to 3rd grades of primary schools during classes, breaks and on school premises. In the case of higher grades of primary schools and the 1st to 4th grades of the eight-year secondary school educational program, the ban on use has an exception. However, this is only if the educational program requires it, and the teacher decides on the exception.

The department hopes that by regulating the use of mobile phones in schools, along with supporting the development of digital and media literacy, children will be better prepared for various pitfalls on media platforms and online safety. At the same time, less time spent on mobile phones will contribute to better relationships between peers and concentration during classes.

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