A new documentary, hosted by British singer-songwriter Matt Willis and his wife, television personality Emma Willis, sheds light on the troubling physical and psychological effects that cellphone and social media addiction has on children.
The first installment of the two-part docuseries, titled “Swiped: The School That Banned Smartphones,” debuted on the UK’s Channel 4 on Dec. 11, followed by the release of the second episode on Dec. 12.
The program chronicles a groundbreaking social experiment conducted at The Stanway School, a secondary school in Colchester, England.
As part of the study, psychologists from England’s University of York studied the impacts of prolonged smartphone use among 26 pupils aged 12 to 13, challenging the students to give up their electronic devices for 21 days.
Over the three-week period, researchers led by University of York psychology professors Lisa Henderson and Emma Sullivan evaluated the behavioral changes exhibited by pupils who locked their phones away.
The study revealed a significant improvement in the students’ sleep habits, with participants falling asleep 20 minutes faster than before the phone restriction was implemented. Students also reported getting an extra hour of sleep each night. The findings were confirmed through the use of sleep-tracking devices.
As a result of improved sleep patterns, students reported a 17 percent decrease in depressive feelings and an 18 percent reduction in feelings associated with anxiety, the university noted. Participants also displayed heart rate changes that suggested an enhancement in their overall well-being.
“The results showed that a smartphone ban in children under the age of 14 could have a positive impact on sleep, and connected to improved sleep, a boost in overall mood.”
Sullivan also emphasized the significance of the findings, noting that the study’s results come at a pivotal moment.
“Government ministers in the UK are thinking about the impact of smartphones on young people, and when other parts of the world, such as Australia, are introducing a social media ban for [those] under 16,” she remarked.
‘A Massive Problem’
Matt Willis, 41, and Emma Willis, 48, also participated in the experiment. The couple, who married in 2008, share three children: Isabelle, 15, Ace, 13, and Trixie, 8.“Our daughter was 11 when she got a smartphone,” the musician, who serves as the bassist and co-vocalist for the pop-punk band Busted, shares. “It’s been the biggest disruptor of us and her, I think.”
In an interview with London Mums Magazine, published on Dec. 11, the couple said they felt pressured to give their children cellphones.
“When our eldest kids went into Year 7, we were pretty much told that they’d need a smartphone for school because they’d use it to communicate with teachers, they’d receive homework—things like that,” Matt Willis said.
“A whole world had opened up to them, in the palm of their hand, and it was quite shocking.”
After the experiment, Emma Willis, known for hosting a variety of British reality shows, including “Big Brother” and “The Voice UK,” said her family made considerable changes regarding their use of cell phones.
Most notably, their three children are no longer allowed to keep their devices in their rooms at night.
Matt Willis said the effects of smartphone and social media addiction, particularly among kids, must be addressed on a larger scale.
“It’s a massive problem that’s going to shape the way our children develop,” he said, noting that the long-term impact will be most severe for younger demographics.
“It’s going to take everyone—parents, schools, government, tech companies—to come together because it’s all of our job to protect our kids from things that might negatively impact them,” he continued.
“We don’t let our kids drive, we don’t let our kids drink alcohol—so we need to be wary about putting something in their hand that is affecting their development, affecting their social skills and affecting the way they interact with society.”
