Summarised by Centrist
With UK MPs urging a ban on smartphones for under-16s and New York’s mayor declaring social media a public health hazard, New Zealand faces the question: Should it follow suit?
Data shows increasing smartphone ownership among children, with concerns about negative impacts on mental and physical health.
Auckland University researcher Dr Samantha Marsh notes the links between smartphone use and issues like anxiety, depression, and poor self-esteem, advocating for a public health response.
She argues that a ban could empower parents and protect children’s well-being, suggesting that parental controls alone are insufficient.
