Here’s an alert you shouldn’t ignore. Teens are bombarded with notifications on their phones throughout the day, even during school and sleep hours. A new study by Common Sense Media revealed that on an average day, almost half of 11- to 17-year-olds receive a staggering 237 notifications on their phones. In some cases, this number goes up to a mind-boggling 5,000 within a 24-hour period. The majority of alerts come from friends on social media apps, with around 25% of them appearing during school hours and 5% during nighttime. To gather this data, researchers analyzed surveys from 203 young people who voluntarily installed an app on their phones for nine days. The app recorded timestamps, tracking which apps were running and when, as well as tallying the number of notifications received. The study focused on popular social media platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and Discord. Surprisingly, 97% of the participants admitted to using their phones during school hours, although the authors did not propose any limits or bans on phone use in schools. Many teens said they utilized their phones to stay connected with their parents during the school day, while others claimed it helped them take a mental break between classes. The majority of alerts come from friends on social media apps, with around 25% of them appearing during school hours and 5% during nighttime. Jim Steyer, the founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, stated that teens experience a constant buzz due to their phone usage. He added, “They literally wake up and check their phones before anything else. They are constantly compelled to respond socially on Snapchat or TikTok or any other platform to engage with their friends. It’s a dominating factor in their personal lives.” The study did acknowledge that as teens get older, they try to manage their online activity and control what appears on their lock screens by utilizing the “Do Not Disturb” feature on their smartphones. If parents are concerned about their teens’ excessive phone use, the report offers recommendations on how to handle it. It suggests that instead of immediately becoming judgmental or frustrated, caregivers should try to understand the experiences of their teens and be curious about their online activities. However, as kids are often hesitant to share negative experiences due to fear of having their phones confiscated, it is crucial for parents to create an environment where their teens feel comfortable sharing anything, knowing that they will receive support. The report also highlights the fact that parents themselves spend several hours a day on their phones, using the same apps as their children. It suggests using this as an opportunity to reflect, exchange experiences, and experiment with changes in phone use to observe how it impacts mood, concentration, and sleep. Recognizing that each child is unique and that their social media usage reflects their individuality can help parents understand that this is how children navigate the world today. Lastly, while it may seem tempting to rely on parental controls, filters, timers, and other restrictions, the authors caution that these “blunt” tools require a significant amount of involvement and maintenance, and are not the most effective solution. “None of them will tell you how your child is feeling. Have regular conversations to understand how they feel about their life online,” the authors emphasized. Common Sense Media provides a list of questions that parents can ask their children to foster these conversations. These questions pertain to topics such as responsibility, safety, social benefits, following boundaries, and using phone functions responsibly.
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