In a speech delivered in Washington, DC on Thursday, Senator Elissa Slotkin (Democrat from Michigan) once again called for a ban on the use of cell phones in all K-12 schools across the United States.
Slotkin, speaking at the Center for American Progress Action, emphasized the need to address the negative impacts of technology on children, stating that as technology becomes more prevalent in schools, it is also harming our children by hindering their ability to engage in interpersonal relationships and problem-solving skills, which will be increasingly valuable in future society.
She explained that the rise of social media and cell phones has contributed to a lack of these crucial skills among students, and therefore advocated for a nationwide ban on cell phone usage in K-12 classrooms to mitigate these issues.
Slotkin also called for accountability from social media companies by asserting that the algorithms they use could lead children to become addicted to “extreme content”.
Just a week ago, Slotkin and Senator Jim Banks (Republican from Indiana) jointly introduced bipartisan legislation to prohibit the use of cell phones by children of American military personnel in schools.
Despite her stance on limiting cell phone use in schools, Slotkin expressed support for young people to engage with and learn modern technology. She emphasized the importance of thoughtful implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools to equip young people with not only technical skills but also with critical thinking capabilities.
Slotkin further underscored the necessity of establishing regulations for the technology industry, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence, as self-regulation within the industry may not sufficiently address potential risks associated with emerging technologies.
A recent study revealed that adolescents who engage excessively with cell phones, video games, or social media have a significantly increased likelihood of experiencing suicidal thoughts and emotional distress in the early stages of adolescence.
The principal author of the study, Dr. Yunyu Xiao, an associate professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, highlighted that it is not merely the duration of screen time that increases risks, but rather the behavior patterns associated with cell phone usage that are crucial to understanding its impact on mental health.
(The information in this article was referenced from reporting by The Hill.)