Review of "End the Phone-Based Childhood Now" by Jonathan Haidt

Jonathan Haidt’s article, "End the Phone-Based Childhood Now," published in The Atlantic in March 2024 provides a comprehensive analysis on how growing up with smartphones and social media has negatively impacted Gen Z. The journalistic yet research-driven style makes his critique very digestible for the general public.

Haidt is a social psychologist known for his work on moral psychology. He frames smartphones as a disruptive force that undermines mental health and personal development by limiting engagement in the real world while introducing new forms of risk. This article is especially relevant to my bachelor’s thesis, which explores pre-teens’ relationship with smartphones as a starting point for designing a new type of handheld computer.

A particularly compelling passage from Haidt reads:

Social media has trapped an entire generation in a collective-action problem. Early app developers deliberately and knowingly exploited the psychological weaknesses and insecurities of young people to pressure them to consume a product that, upon reflection, many wish they could use less, or not at all. (Haidt, 2024)

This insight is vital to my research, as it underscores how the architecture of social media is inherently exploitative. Accepting this fact is crucial for moving beyond traditional control-based interventions, such as restricting screen time, and considering more transformative approaches.

Haidt’s proposed solutions, centred on community-based efforts align with his broader vision of societal responsibility in addressing the problematic smartphone use. However, while I believe communities can be extremely effective in creating change, we also need to shape technology to serve out society better. My thesis emphasises the role of design by prototyping a new kind of handheld computer that fosters calm, safe and even non-verbal interaction. If we have technology that encourages more intentional and mindful engagement, we will not have a problem with regulating device use in the first place. I believe this perspective complements Haidt’s approach, ensuring a more systemic solution.

Reference: #

Haidt, J. (2024, March 13). End the Phone-Based Childhood Now. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/03/teen-childhood-smartphone-use-mental-health-effects/677722/