Teens Receive Up To 4,000 Phone Notifications A Day
By Movieguide® Contributor
A new report revealed that most teenagers are inundated by phone notifications, receiving anywhere from 200 to 4,000 notifications a day.
“This report makes it abundantly clear that teens are struggling to manage their phone use, which is taking a serious toll on their ability to focus and overall mental health,” said James P. Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media. “Young people need more support from family members and educators, as well as clear guardrails from the technologists who are intentionally designing these devices to be addictive, at the expense of kids’ well-being.”
The organization’s study also found that the average teen spends about four and a half hours a day on their phone.
“Those four hours could be filled with something very educational and positive and affirming for that child; or it could be only two hours, filled with something toxic and rude or hateful or upsetting,” the study’s lead author, Dr. Jenny S. Radesky, said. “So the more important question is, what is the activity?”
Other findings from the study include why many teens turn to their phones so often.
“Most participants also looked to their phones to alleviate negative emotions and found it hard to disengage from stimulating apps such as TikTok—which was used by participants for nearly two hours on an average day, but more than seven hours for some,” CNN reported.
The report included some questions parents can ask their children to help them explore their phone use, as well as some things parents can think about as they model behavior for their kids:
What is your favorite app? Do you feel stressed or excited by it? Or both?
Does it feel like a job or “work” to stay up to date on everything?
What does it feel like when your phone is commanding your attention vs. just being in the background of your mind?
What does it feel like when you don’t have your phone or the room is too quiet? Are you worried about missing out on anything?
Have you ever noticed what you’re thinking about if there’s no background noise on?
What do you think social media platforms know about us, in terms of who we are and how we are feeling? How do algorithms predict what we might want to watch or follow?
How do you see the platform’s algorithms at work? Have you noticed when it’s working to keep you on the app, and how it does that?
It also encouraged parents to set screen time settings and look at which apps are sending the most notifications, as well as unpack why their children might feel compelled to be on their phones so much, as opposed to being active, reading or doing another activity.
“It’s really up to you as a parent to be having an ongoing, non-judgmental discussion with your kids,” Steyer said. “But also talking about positive things they can get from interaction on screens, because that is the life kids are living.”
Movieguide® emphasizes talking to your children about the media they consume, whether that be on social media or through movies and TV shows:
“When children know the right questions to ask, they can arrive at the right answers to the problems presented by the mass media of entertainment.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Decades of research and evidence clearly shows that the mass media of entertainment creates the culture that shapes the hearts and minds of the average person, especially children and teenagers. That culture also elects the politicians who write the legislation, appoint the judges and hire the teachers that affect families and children everywhere.
To serve and protect you and your family, including your children and grandchildren, MOVIEGUIDE®: The Family Guide to Movies, Entertainment and Culture offers the following questions you can apply to any movie, video or television program, to make you and your family more media wise and more culture wise, so they may choose the good and reject the bad:
- What kind of role models, positive and negative, are the main characters?
- Who is the hero? And, who is the villain? And, how do their character traits agree with a biblical hero or villain?
- Do the moral statements and themes agree with a biblical worldview?
- Are real consequences to sin exposed and rebuked?
- How are relationships and love portrayed?
- How are Christians, religion, the church, the Bible, and God portrayed?
- Does the language honor God and people?
- If violence is included, how is it presented?
- If physical romantic activity is included, how is it presented?
- How appropriate is this material for my family and me?
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
