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Privacy NoticePrince Harry has opened up about his worries regarding the impact of smartphones on today’s youth during a chat with Jonathan Haidt, author of ‘The Anxious Generation,’ in observance of World Mental Health Day on October 10. In a video released by Fortune Well, the 40 year old Duke of Sussex kicked off their discussion by claiming that “in many cases, the smartphone is stealing young people’s childhood,” pointing out the increasing reliance children have on these devices. Jonathan concurred with Prince Harry’s viewpoint and noted that post-1995 generations in English-speaking countries are entering puberty facing heightened levels of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts due to their smartphone use, as reported by PEOPLE.
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Harry further emphasized the importance of holding the right parties accountable, challenging the widespread belief that “social media companies point the finger at parents” for the escalating mental health issues among the young, quoting companies that argue: “Well, you know, this is down to you. This is down to your parenting.” Jonathan was quick to dismiss the idea that parents were solely to blame for their children’s screen time, stating: “If there were some parents who were getting this wrong and most parents were getting it right, then I’d be very receptive to that argument,” he said. “But once kids get a phone and social media, the rest of family life turns into a fight over screen time. And this is happening everywhere.” He also criticised tech companies, saying: “The tech companies put us in a bind, and then they’re trying to blame us for what they did.” Sign up to OK!’s royal newsletter to get updates sent to your inbox for free
Prince Harry spoke about the affects mobile phones have
(Image: (Image: Getty))
Despite the drawbacks of smartphones, Prince Harry highlighted that many parents felt reassured knowing their child had a phone, as it would allow them to contact their parents in case of an emergency at school. Jonathan responded by suggesting, “Give them a phone. Just don’t give them a supercomputer connected to everyone in the world.” Prince Harry, who is a loving father to two young children, Prince Archie, 5 and Princess Lilibet, 3, suggested that many young people view platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat as “lifelines” that allow them to connect with other children. However, Jonathan quickly debunked this as a common “myth”, stating: “The research, I think, is very clear: When kids have a best friend or especially a small group [of friends], they generally do well. When kids don’t have a close friend or close group, they’re much less likely to do well. When you have 300 connections, you don’t have time for anyone.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with their children Archie and Lilibet
(Image: Netflix)
“This year, 2024, is the turning point. Terrible things have happened to our kids. We see that now… I don’t want to blame any parent because we didn’t know this 10 years ago,” Jonathan concluded. The discussion follows a month after Prince Harry warned about the perils of social media and children’s engagement with online materials at the Clinton Foundation. Opening up on CBS Sunday Morning about Archewell foundation’s dedication to recognising the risks of online environments, Duchess Meghan shared similar sentiments, “Our kids are young – they’re 3 and 5. They’re amazing. But all you want to do as parents is protect them. So as we can see what’s happening in the online space, we know that there’s a lot of work to be done there, and we’re just happy to be able to be a part of change for good.” Prince Harry further stressed the urgency, stating, “At this point, we’ve got to the stage where almost every parent needs to be a first responder. And even the best first responders in the world wouldn’t be able to tell the signs of possible suicide. That is the terrifying piece of this.”Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnPrince HarryHarry and MeghanMeghan MarkleRoyal Family
