Smartphones have
Reshaped Childhood
Smartphones weren’t created with children in mind — yet they’ve transformed childhood in just a few short years. Around the world, most kids now receive their first smartphone before they even turn 10.
61% of children between the ages of 6 and 17 own a cellphone, and 64% consume digital content without supervision.*
Instead of unfolding gradually, childhood is being accelerated by a digital world designed to capture and hold their attention. The effects on children’s development, mental health, and real-world relationships are profound — and we can’t afford to ignore them.
Here are some of the biggest issues:
Fuente: Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones (CRC). (2025). Estudio de infancia y medios audiovisuales: consumo, mediación parental y apropiación.)
Harmful content
With smartphones in their hands, children are only moments away from harmful and disturbing content — often delivered by algorithms even when they aren’t looking for it. Exposure to explicit, violent, or extreme material can leave lasting impressions on their minds. Once seen, these images and ideas can’t be erased. 90% of girls and 50% of boys say they’re sent explicit content they didn’t want to see.
Mental health
Since smartphones entered children’s lives, teen anxiety, depression, and self-harm have soared. Research points to a clear connection: early exposure to constant screens, social media pressures, and endless comparison is taking a toll on young people’s mental well-being. Data shows that the younger they got their first smartphone, the worse their mental health today
Attention
On average, teens now receive over 200 notifications a day — that’s hundreds of digital interruptions stealing their attention and breaking their focus. Over time, this constant flood of pings and alerts makes it harder for them to engage deeply in learning, enjoy offline activities, or build meaningful friendships. Distraction has quietly become the new normal.
Cyberbullying
Disagreements that once stayed in the schoolyard now travel everywhere with kids — onto their phones, into their bedrooms, and through the night. Without a space to disconnect and heal, online cruelty can feel inescapable and overwhelming. One in six teens report being cyberbullied in the past month, according to the World Health Organisation
Opportunity cost
For the first time in history, childhood is shifting indoors and onto screens. Kids today spend far less time exploring outside, playing creatively, reading for joy, or moving their bodies — and far more time scrolling alone. The cost isn’t just time lost, but experiences and skills they may never get back.
Bring Village to Raise to Your School
Every big change starts with one small step.
You don’t need to be an expert, just a parent who cares. Use our free toolkit to start the conversation at your school, share the pledge, and bring other families on board. Together, we can give kids more time to grow up before they grow online.