No matter where you look, technology is all around. Whether that be your little brother with his drool covered fingers clicking away at his ipad, or your grandma squinting at her phone as she attempts to take a selfie, there is no doubt about it. We are at the start of a new age. The age of technology. Though our ancestors have lived fine without this digital leash, we now treat it essentially as an extra pair of lungs. A necessity of sorts. Those that are arguably the most affected? Teenagers. 

According to the National Library of Medicine, mobile phone usage remains high, with over 95% of teens ages 13-17 having access to a cell phone. The main reason for the rise of mobile phone usage in teenagers is how quickly the cellphone is developing. The average screen time for a teenager is 7 hours and 22 minutes, where teens of all ages spend time on numerous activities used to entertain. Most commonly, adolescents would be found scrolling on social media. 

Social media is defined as a form of communication through which others online can share information, ideas, and other content. Popular social media apps include, TikTok, Instagram, and X (Twitter). Content on these apps are shared in quick videos, with the length of most videos not exceeding a minute. These popular apps use a clever algorithm, shoving quick bursts of content in your face as you lose yourself scrolling through stories, posts, or videos. With the constant flow of stimulation to the brain, it may impair the brain’s ability to engage in activities that require sustained attention, deep thinking, and reflection. The lack of the brain’s ability to engage in such activities can roll into other aspects of their lives. The most important one being school. 

A recent study found that the mere presence of a smartphone reduces a person’s ability to focus, even on an unconscious level. This constant distraction in the back of our heads can affect our studying,

our test scores, and the ability to focus in the future. The brain becomes accustomed to short bursts of information, making deep focus more challenging, a sharp contrast against the slow, focused, low lectures that school demands. 

Along with ruining student’s attention spans, phones can also ruin memory. According to the National Library of Medicine, MP (mobile phones) use has a significant negative impact on working memory performance of human participants. Excessive phone use can cause a “digital amnesia”, shrinking the average person’s attention span from two and a half minutes back in 2004 to just 47 seconds on average today – a dramatic 66% decrease over the past two decades. 

But this isn’t to say that the usage of mobile phones in the lives of teenagers can’t be beneficial in some ways. The ability to gather information quickly using the web, safety benefits between parents and child, and finding communities that share your hobbies or interests are all amazing, positive ways a phone can benefit adolescent life. Cellphones are great, but only in moderation.

This article was edited by Jack Wimberley and Amaan Musani.