Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has sparked controversy by proposing banning smartphones in educational settings nationwide. In a recent interview on MSNBC, the governor noted the dangers of the digital world. He affirmed her commitment to reducing the potential risks of smartphone use during school hours.
“Why are our young people on their devices all day long during school hours? How are they learning?” Hochul expressed her concerns during a recent MSNBC interview. She described the “addictive algorithms” as making young individuals “prisoners” to their screens, often isolating them from real-world connections.
Hochul needs to suggest a complete communication blackout in response to these issues. Instead, she proposes that students could use flip phones—devices without internet access but capable of calling and texting. “I am okay with flip phones if your child wants to talk to you or you want to have a connection if there’s an emergency,” she explained. “You can still text them a message. You don’t have to be in the world of social media throughout the day.”
The debate over phone use in schools is not new, but the specifics of Hochul’s plan bring a fresh perspective. In a recent ABC News interview, many students admitted that their phones can feel like an extra appendage, one they can’t do without in the digital world. They view Ms. Hochul’s policies as archaic and untenable. There’s also extensive pushback from big tech, trade groups, and other stakeholders.
New York schools’ chancellor, David Banks, supports reevaluating the current policies in light of Hochul’s proposal. “Phones certainly seem to be at the top of the list of being problematic in schools. It’s not only a physical safety issue; I think it’s also an emotional safety issue,” he expressed.
United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, previously warned about social media’s negative impacts on children’s emotional health. In a 2023 advisory called Social Media and Youth Mental Health, Murthy noted that social media exerts pressure on the brain, translating to real-world repercussions.
“In early adolescence, when identities and sense of self-worth are forming, brain development is especially susceptible to social pressures, peer opinions, and peer comparison,” the author noted. “Frequent social media use may be associated with distinct changes in the developing brain in the amygdala (important for emotional learning and behavior) and the prefrontal cortex (important for impulse control, emotional regulation, and moderating social behavior), and could increase sensitivity to social rewards and punishments. As such, adolescents may experience heightened emotional sensitivity to the communicative and interactive nature of social media.”
The phone ban initiative is part of Governor Hochul’s larger legislative effort to safeguard young New Yorkers online. The proposed smartphone ban dovetails with two other significant bills: the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act.
The SAFE for Kids Act aims to disrupt harmful algorithmic feeds by requiring that social platforms provide minors with a chronological feed and giving parents more control over their children’s online experiences, including blocking night-time notifications. Companies failing to comply could face hefty fines of up to $5,000 per violation. The New York Child Data Protection Act seeks to limit the collection of personal data from children by online entities aware of the users’ ages without mandating invasive age verification processes.
