Social Media and Body Image

13-year-olds who wish they’d never been given a phone.

We talk to children between the ages of 7 and 13 about their experiences online, what they have seen, and what they wish they hadn’t seen. Children talk honestly about how they get around parental controls and rules. Candid 13-year-olds tell us they wish they had never been given a phone in the first place. Lastly, there is a discussion about bullying and sextortion, a type of online blackmail. It’s when somebody threatens to share sexual pictures, videos, or information about you unless you pay money or do something.

A primary school head and a secondary school head give their experience and advice.

“Something must be done to reverse this trend,” said Haidt, a social psychologist at New York University’s Stern School of Business. He added that parents should work with schools to set a new norm: “Don’t give children a smartphone before the end of secondary education, around age 16.”

A recent study by the American Psychologists’ Association found that reducing social media use significantly improves body image in teens and young adults.

Read more about Smartphones and Social Media or listen to our podcast with advice on How to move towards a Smartphone-free childhood.