On World Mental Health Day, Prince Harry sat down with social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, to discuss the impact of smartphones and social media on young people. Their conversation focused on how technology is impacting the mental health of children and teens.
During the debate, Prince Harry said: “In many cases, smartphones are robbing young people of their childhoods.” Hite agreed, pointing to the fact that people born after 1995 experience higher levels of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and even suicide because of their smartphones.
Prince Harry then noted that social media companies often blame parents for mental health crises in young people, claiming it was the result of poor parenting. However, Mr. Haidt disagreed with this view. He explained that when children have access to phones and social media, home life often turns into a battle over screen time. “Technology companies have put us in a corner, and they’re trying to blame us for what they’ve done,” Hite added.
Harry, a father of two young children, said many parents feel pressured to give their children a phone, especially in an emergency. In response, Hite proposed a solution. “Give them a phone, but don’t give them a supercomputer that connects everyone in the world,” Hite said.
We also discussed the misconception that social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are an important lifeline for children. Haidt called this idea a “myth” and emphasized that face-to-face interaction is key to helping children feel connected. “The research results are clear,” he said. “When kids have a close friend or a small group of friends, they usually do well. But when there are only a few hundred online connections, no one has time for it.”
Hite also said that 2024 will be a critical year in recognizing the negative impact technology has had on children. “I don’t want to blame the parents because they didn’t know this 10 years ago,” he said.
Last month, Prince Harry also spoke at a Clinton Foundation event about the dangers of social media and the impact the online world has on children.
