How to join the anti smartphone campaign?

[Iona40]

In the news today was reported that a new campaign has been set up in aftermath of Brianna Ghey murder called Parents United for a Smartphone-Free Childhood ...anyone seen such a group??

Bump this - anyone know how to connect with this campaign? Is it real?!

I'm also looking for info on how to join please

I’ve tried to join but the WhatsApp is full. If you follow the woman who started it on instagram she says she’s going to try and make it bigger and to watch this space. Think she’s called Daisy Greenwood

Doesn't it strike you as ironic they're using WhatsApp and Instagram?

I can't see it working as I'm a realist.

However, I agree with your quest and am aware that children and smart phones is often a route for trouble.

I'm not sure what the solution is but good luck

As in primary or secondary?

Yep both apps only accessible via smartphone/laptop/desktop/tablet.
All which give access to the World Wide Web 🤦🏻‍♀️

If you don't want your child to have a smartphone you, as a parent, can choose not to give them one. What is the aim of the campaign?

I believe the idea is to stop peer pressure to get a smartphone by working with class groups to get more parents agreeing not to have one before 16, to use brick phone if needed instead. Makes sense to me.

@MargaretThursday I know, I thought that! 🤣

I just found Daisy Greenwell on Instagram and there is a link from there to a whatsapp group which is open. Daisy is one of the two mothers who set this up. For more info look up Kids For Now and Delaysmartphones.co.uk.

Its not ironic for parents to use social media to take collective action to protect their children from social media. Some things are suitable for adults and not for children. Smartphones with social media are one of those things.

Parents can choose not to give their child a smartphone. But parents and their children are put in a very diffficult position when most other children have one. Its a collective action trap. Its easy to disregard how hard it is for most parents to make that decision alone. collective action like this lets parents and the kids know that they are not alone. The more other children your child knows without a smartphone the easier it is for them and you. Its working for thousands of parents.

When your child goes to secondary school. They are not the only child with out a smart phone. Instead part of a collective group of children.

The percentage of children at the school with smart phones is reduced. Your child isn't the only one going without.

Different choices created for child's free time.

delaysmartphones.org.uk/about/

smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk/subscribe

linktr.ee/smartphonefreechildhood?lt_utm_source=lt_share_link&fbclid=IwAR0ZD6E0AokfUTDM4rYywFRk-exo0oH18TVmIMIxA96GddSAUwaDdQ89UUA#365724592

Hope helpful.

www.smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk

An excellent Instagram group Smartphone Free Childhood has recently been set up with many high profile advocates.
It's excellent.

Totally agree.

I've shared some links to the relevant website set up by Daisy and Clare.

Looks like MN Admin is reviewing the links, but hopefully, it will be helpful.

I've joined my local WhatsApp parent communities, which are already proving useful.

Exactly this. Parents need to parent. Even a short delay in providing a smartphone is a step in the right direction. Plenty of "normal" phones out there available which only text/phone which are far more suitable to keep in touch in case of emergencies etc. Or even a smart phone that has mobile internet blocked so kids have to log in to their home or school wifi system where parental controls/safeguards can be put in place.

Exactly... bonkers. I cant understand the campaign. Surely checking your children's phone is more logical and keeping ahead of tech

It’s not as simple as “just don’t give your child a smartphone”.

Many parents would prefer their child not to have a smartphone but feel they will get left out of group chats etc so it will harm them socially.

The idea of the campaign is for parents to feel enabled to start a discussion with the other parents in their child’s class (for example) and perhaps mutually agree to delay the age for smartphones so that nobody feels left out.

It's ridiculous, why should parents be making other people delay having a group chat? These children are at an age of prosecution, so why are we babying them instead of parenting and checking their phones and pulling them on on inappropriate language/behaviour etc.

Why shouldn't children be able to communicate? Mine use WhatsApp for school, friends, school council etc. I read them the riot act of whatever you post, you are responsible for and would you want me reading it? Because I will be checking. Also they know if their behaviour changes, I will be finding out why.

My parental decision is not to let my teenagers use social media , so my teenagers aren't on it. I also think letting your child change gender should be banned because of the mental health impacts.

No one can “make” any other parent do anything.

But there may be a group of parents who all feel the same way but are worried about their child being the odd one out. If they speak to each other and realise they all agree, this will allay that worry and they will feel more able to follow their own preference without their child being left out socially.

I agree that pure communication apps are fairly harmless as long as they communicate responsibly but it’s not always that clear cut. What about apps like Snapchat, this in theory is for messaging but it feeds users content like Tiktok does, plus the messages disappear so can’t be checked. Do you classify that as messaging or as social media? If you don’t allow it, what happens if all your teen’s friends are using it to chat?

IMO it is useful to be able to discuss these things with other parents and, if agreed, take a group stance. Of course any parent is free to take a different decision or ignore the discussion altogether. Up to you. But I don’t think it’s a ridiculous idea.

Fascinating talk. Really interesting statistics and evidence based arguments about the impact of smartphones on our children.

www.eventbrite.com/e/jonathan-haidt-x-smartphone-free-childhood-tickets-859377520297?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios

Recording is being shared on the Smartphone Free Childhood' website or newsletter.

The talk with Jonathan Haidt (see previous post) was amazing. Made me realise there are so many people who feel the same way out there, it’s only a matter of time before there’ll be a huge shift in how we view giving smartphones to kids. Since I originally posted on here I’ve reached out to others in my dd school, a group has been set up and we’re planning on organising a talk and a stall at the school fair. We all need to come together on this - the people are out there thinking the same!!

Absolutely.

I don't see why people want to group together or what they all want to achieve.

It's almost like wanting collective responsibility for a blanket approach instead of making an choice specifically in light of your own child's capabilities.

Why not just fucking parent.