the fight back has started.

here we share the latest initiatives & innovations tackling the issue…

With thanks for some of the fantastic work being done by these organisations:

The Anxious Generation (& blog of updating research): the 2024 best seller from Professor Jonathan Haidt evidencing the negative impact of smartphones on young people

(UK) Smartphone Free Childhood: The UK grassroots movement that has mobilised 10s of 1000s of parents to delay the age of smartphone ownership
(UK) Delaysmartphones.org: a rich resource of data and support for parents worried about kids and technology
(UK) Papaya Parents: helping families to thrive in the digital age.
(UK) Us for Them: campaigning for children (incl Safe Screens campaign)
(UK) Health Profesionals for Safer Screens: uncovering medical research and mobilisng the medical community
(US) Wait until 8th: A US pledge to delay the age of smartphone ownership
(US) Better Screen Time: teaching parents how to worry less about tech and connect better with children
(Canada). Unplugged Canda: information & a pledge to delay smartphone

The Battle for your time; Exposing the Costs of Social Media a TedX by Dino Abrosi - a hard hitting 15 minutes outlining the costs of infinite scroll

Books: How to Break-up with your Phone by Catherine Price; Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport; Free Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy; iGen by Jean Twenge; The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family by Emily Cherkin; Creating a Tech-Healthy Family: Ten Must-Have Conversations to Help You Worry Less and Connect More With Your Kids by Andrea Davi

safer tech for children

(UK/ US) imoo smart watch (enables calls & tracking) (from £109 plus sim/ data)
(UK & US) Xplora smartwatch (enables calls & tracking) UK and US (from £119.99 + sim/ data)
(US) Tick Talk- safe smartwatch for talking, texting and tracking (from $149.99)
(UK, US, Canda) Pinwheel a safe smartphone designed to grow with the child (from £479+ subscription)
(UK) Chatsie - A simple, safe phone for kids/ elders (from £299 handset-only/ £399 with sim)
(UK) HMD (Nokia) feature phones (UK) X1 Kid friendly smartphone coming soon
(US) Bark child approriate smart watch, phones and parental control software solutions
(US) Gabb - safe starter phones & smart watches (from $149.99 + subscription + data)
(Global) Yondr pouches - lockable phone signal-blocking cases for use in schools/ at events

intentional tech for adults

(Global) The Brick and Unpluq - physical ‘tags’ to temporarily disable distracting apps (from £48/ £18)
(US) The Light Phone and Wise Phone- less invasive, simple phones for avoiding distraction (from $299/ $399)
(Global) Dumb Phone - an app download that turns your smartphone into a dumb phone
Apps that reward users for more intentional time/ block distraction: e.g. Opal, Freedom, Forest, PocketPoints
Faraday/ RFID- signal blocking phone cases and boxes e.g. SLNT, Stolp
… and that most illusive thing of all …. willpower

community & real world solutions

(UK) Unplugged - unique cabin-accommodation for unplugged retreats
(US) Let Grow: a foundation encouraging and promoting greater freedom and independence for children
(UK/ Europe/ other cities): The Offline Club -Offline hangouts and events to unplug, relax and connect with like-minded people.
(UK- London) Moot Club - physical youth club(s) for young people
(UK) Onside - youth zones in economically disadvantaged areas harnessing public-private funding