In a letter, Gov. Gavin Newsom cited research that found risks associated with excessive smartphone use among youth.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Aug. 13 asked schools across California to restrict student access to smartphones as the new academic year kicks off, with the goal of reducing tech-related mental health concerns, academic challenges, and social risks related to cell phone use.
He also cited research that has found a link between increased anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues with excessive smartphone use among children.
“As I work with the Legislature to further limit student smartphone use on campus, there is no reason for schools to wait,” the governor said in the letter.
He also highlighted a warning by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy last year about social media’s effects on youth mental health.
According to the advisory, frequent social media use may be linked with changes in a child’s developing brain, affecting responses like impulse control, social behavior, and emotional regulation.
The governor said the surgeon general’s advisory, combined with the latest research on the matter, indicated an urgent need to provide “guardrails” for student smartphone use in schools.
For example, 40 percent of 5th graders nationwide report being victims of cyberbullying, according to Marc Berkman, CEO of the Organization for Social Media Safety.
The organization is focused exclusively on educating the public nationwide about social media safety.
“Social media safety—it’s very much about understanding the various threats that are either caused or exacerbated through social media use and mitigating or preempting those harms,” Berkman told The Epoch Times.
He cited instances of drug marketing, fentanyl trafficking, and sextortion on smartphones via social media that are affecting “millions of kids” across the U.S.
Berkman said that when schools implement a cell phone policy that restricts student access to social media, incidents of cyberbullying are reduced and overall screen time also declines on campus.
“Given what we’re seeing and taking a safety-first approach, we would at this point like to see schools move toward comprehensive bans on smartphones,” Berkman said.
Smartphone Policies in California
In 2019, the governor signed AB 272, which authorized California governing bodies of a school district, county office of education, or charter school to adopt a policy limiting or prohibiting the use of smartphones by students on campus.
Newsom called the bill, which was authored by Democrat Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, a “crucial step in our efforts to minimize distractions and foster a more conducive environment for our students to learn.”
And school districts are taking advantage of the legislation, particularly in Los Angeles.
Newsom applauded the school district for their policy.
“Every classroom should be a place of focus, learning, and growth,” he said.
Newsom additionally said in his letter that reducing smartphone usage on campus leads to improved concentration, social interactions, and academic outcomes for students.
“Working together, educators, administrators, and parents can create an environment where students are fully engaged in their education, free from the distractions on the phones and pressures of social media,” he said.