As the public grows aware of the impact technology can wreak on the mental health and well-being of kids and teens, people generate their own conclusions.

On Jan. 11, Gov. Spencer Cox sent a letter to school districts calling for no-phone policies in schools. He also signed a bill in 2023 regulating social media use among minors. These policies limit Utahns’ privacy and autonomy. They could harm minors while trying to protect them.

Teachers, lawmakers and parents need more awareness of how technology impacts youth. But they must not ban it, especially at a legislative level. Instead, adults should focus on teaching media literacy.

Technology’s Role Today

Even experts don’t agree on how technology affects children. University of Utah media ethics professor Leandra Hernandez said the topic is “more complex than we can even understand.”

“On the one hand, social media use helps bring us together,” she said. “Especially for marginalized communities that may not have the ability to find other individuals of similar identities or backgrounds as easily.” For example, Hernandez organizes a local queer climbing group that communicates primarily through Instagram.

However, Hernandez also cited some “perils of social media,” including depression, cyberbullying and social comparison. And certain adults have seen firsthand the obsession youth can have with technology, from iPad kids to social media-addicted teens.

These issues are concerning. But imposing heavy restrictions pushes Utahns in the wrong direction.

Bans Aren’t the Answer

Utah’s laws require social media companies to verify users are at least 18 years of age. Children can’t create social media accounts unless their parents consent. This encourages parents to surveil their children’s account activity.

Hernandez said social media restrictions raise questions about agency, consent and privacy rights. By limiting anonymity and giving parents access to their children’s social media, the Utah law begins to hinder these rights.

Such restrictions prompt kids to use technology in private. This discourages them from speaking up when they encounter safety issues, concerns or questions. It also limits trust between parents and kids.

“We have parents who are social media users,” Hernandez said. “This moment in time gives us an opportunity to more critically think through helping parents and adolescents take the internet into their own hands.”

If Utahns have learned anything from book bans, it’s not right to ban things that they’re afraid of. Banning social media can backfire and isolate kids who need the connection with peers offered by social media.

Cox and Utah Republicans are among those who work towards legislative restrictions on kids’ technology access. Utahns should watch for related bills during legislative sessions. The legislature should not regulate access to the digital world.

“It takes away the power of the parents and the family unit to make decisions that work best for them,” Hernandez said.

It’s good Cox is concerned about children’s health and safety. However, legislative solutions should focus instead on media literacy instead of limiting access to social media.

Media Literacy and Other Solutions

Media literacy provides tools for youth to reflect on what they come across in media and share that information with others, Hernandez explained. This kind of education is vital. It gives kids and teens agency and can empower them as well as keep them safe.

“Adolescents are smart, capable, agentic beings and I would like to think that they would be able to have these conversations thoughtfully, too,” she said.

In schools, policies should determine when technology use is appropriate, but not ban it altogether. Cellphone use enhances some learning circumstances. Students can use phones for English translation or to listen to music while working. During break times, students should have the opportunity to connect with family, friends or a therapist online. Policies may differ between schools or districts. They should involve collaboration between students and teachers. At Centennial Junior High School in Kaysville, Utah, students created their own cellphone policy involving incentives and rewards. Students and teachers say it’s had positive effects.

For collaboration to extend into the private realm, parents should mentor rather than monitor. They must set an example of good online habits. If they must surveil, they must be honest about it.

While there is no universal solution to the problems technology can cause for kids, Utah must foster honest environments that ensure media literacy. It cannot ban things and leave people to fend for themselves.

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@carolinegjarvis