Prince Harry Says Smartphones Are 'Stealing Young People's Childhood' in New Chat for World Mental Health Day

On World Mental Health Day, Thursday, Oct. 10, Prince Harry joined The Anxious Generation author and social psychologist, Jonathan Haidt, for a conversation about smartphones, social media and their impact on the youth population.

In a video shared with Fortune Well, the Duke of Sussex, 40, began their conversation by stating that “in many cases, the smartphone is stealing young people’s childhood."

Haidt agreed with his observation, remarking that people born after 1995 who live in English-speaking countries hit puberty with high rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide as a direct consequence of the smartphone. 

But Harry followed up by asking about a common false belief that "social media companies point the finger at parents" for the growing mental health crisis. Citing that, companies say, " ‘Well, you know, this is down to you. This is down to your parenting.’ ” 

But Haidt doesn't agree with that argument. “If there were some parents who were getting this wrong and most parents were getting it right, then I’d be very receptive to that argument,” he said. “But once kids get a phone and social media, the rest of family life turns into a fight over screen time. And this is happening everywhere.”

“The tech companies put us in a bind, and then they’re trying to blame us for what they did,” Haidt added.

As their conversation continued, the Duke of Sussex, himself a father to son Archie, 5 and daughter Lilibet, 3, added that he’s learned from The Archewell Foundation Insight Sessions that parents want their children to have a phone, especially in case of emergency at school.

Haidt then responded, “Give them a phone. Just don’t give them a supercomputer connected to everyone in the world."

Harry also proposed the common misconception that Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat are “lifelines” and that social media "is giving an outlet, an added resource” to kids. Haidt explained that this is a common “myth,” noting that the solution for kids to feel more connected is to put their phones down and connect in person. 

“The research, I think, is very clear: When kids have a best friend or especially a small group [of friends], they generally do well,” Haidt revealed. “When kids don’t have a close friend or close group, they’re much less likely to do well. When you have 300 connections, you don’t have time for anyone.”

"This year, 2024, is the turning point. Terrible things have happened to our kids. We see that now... I don't want to blame any parent because we didn't know this 10 years ago," Haidt concluded.

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The pair's conversation follows Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell Foundation's second edition of the Insight Report, which captured the "global youth perspective on technology’s evolving role," per the foundation's site. The report worked with young people from Colombia, Georgia, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Last month, Harry spoke about the dangers of social media, and children consuming online content for the Clinton Foundation.