Highlights from Dr. Jonathan Haidt regarding social media use:

Members of Generation Z are suffering from anxiety, depression, self-harm, and related disorders at levels higher than any other generation for which data is available. Recommended new norms include the following-

No smartphones before high school
- A norm of delaying constant internet access until ninth grade would help to protect adolescents during the very vulnerable first few years of puberty.
No social media before 16
- If the majority of adolescents were not on these accounts until they are 16, families and adolescents could more easily resist the peer pressure of opening accounts so they can keep up with posts and gossip.
Phone-free schools
- Schools that have gone phone-free always seem to report that is has improved the culture, making students more attentive in class and more interactive with one another. Published studies back them up.
More independence, free play, and responsibility in the real world
- Parents are encouraged to replace screen time with real-world experiences involving friends and independent activity.