Campaigners are calling for a ban on smartphones for children under 16, with 'tobacco-style' health warnings on the packaging, citing concerns about their negative impact on children's health and well-being.
UsforThem, a parent group backed by Katharine Birbalsingh, known as Britain's strictest headteacher, argues that smartphones can make children distracted, isolated, and depressed due to addictive apps.
The campaign seeks government intervention to reduce children's dependence on digital devices. Dr. Álvaro Bilbao, a leading psychologist, has also warned that smartphones can delay children's attention span and cognitive development.
UsforThem is calling for a regulatory framework similar to tobacco regulations, where manufacturers, suppliers, and phone providers would need to prove that their products and services are safe for children before they can be sold.
The campaign comes after actress Sophie Winkleman revealed she had removed her children from school because they were going to be given iPads from the age of six.
Ms Winkleman and other supporters of the campaign believe that smartphones and other digital devices are negatively impacting children's education and well-being, and that measures should be taken to reduce their use among young children.
