VOA教育报道2024--European Parent Groups Aim to Ban Smartphones for Teens

If parents say "no" when a child asks for a smartphone, the response they are likely to hear is, "Everyone has one. Why can't I?"

But what would happen if the child's friends did not have a mobile¹ phone either?

That is the way that some parents in Europe are thinking.

They are concerned by evidence that smartphone use among young children threatens their safety and mental health. They believe that the more parents join their movement, the more powerful their ideas become.

Parents in Spain, Britain and Ireland are using social media groups on services like WhatsApp and Telegram to talk about their plans. They want to keep smartphones out of schools. But for their plan to work, other parents have to refuse to buy children the devices² before - or even into - their teenage years.

Elisabet García Permanyer got involved after she talked with another parent in a Barcelona park. Last year, she started a social media group to share information on the dangers of the internet with families at her children's school.

The group, called "Adolescence³ Free of Mobile Phones," quickly grew and now includes over 10,000 members. The most involved parents are asking other parents to agree not to get their children smartphones until they are 16.

"When I started this, I just hoped I would find four other families who thought like me, but it took off and kept growing, growing and growing," García Permanyer said. "My goal was to try to join forces with other parents so we could push back the point when smartphones arrive. I said, 'I am going to try so that my kids are not the only ones who don't have one.'"

Spain

Police and public health experts have also been voicing concerns about the kind of materials that children can see on their mobile devices. Spain's government took note of the problem and banned smartphones from elementary schools in January. Now they can only be turned on in secondary⁴ school, which starts at age 12, if a teacher deems⁵ it necessary for an educational activity.

Britain

In Britain last year, a 16-year-old girl named Brianna Ghey was killed by two teenagers. Her mother demanded that social media on smartphones be limited for children under 16.

Mother Daisy Greenwell, who lives in the area of Suffolk, England, and a friend, Clare Reynolds, set up a social media group called Parents United for a Smartphone-Free Childhood. It grew quickly and an organizer said it now has groups in every British county⁶.

Ireland

In Greystones, Ireland, eight primary school leaders, or principals⁸, wrote to parents, asking them not to buy their students smartphones. Then the parents themselves voluntarily signed written agreements, promising⁹ not to let their young children have the devices.

Thirty-eight-year-old Christina Capatina is a Greystones parent of two young daughters. She signed the agreement and said there were almost no smartphones in schools this school year.

Unity¹⁰ is powerful

Studies from Spain, Britain, and Ireland show that by the time children are 12, most have smartphones. In Spain, 25 percent of children have a cellphone by age 10, and almost 50 percent by age 11. At 12, this share rises to 75 percent. British media regulator Ofcom said 55 percent of children in Britain owned a smartphone between ages eight and 11, with the figure rising to 97 percent by age 12.

Over recent years, organizations, governments, and parents have been reporting that smartphone use by children is linked to bullying¹¹, mental health problems and loss of the focus necessary for learning¹². China moved last year to limit children's use of smartphones. France has a ban on smartphones in schools for children aged¹³ six to 15.

The possible dangers have produced school bans on smartphones and online safety laws. But those measures do not deal with what children do outside of school with mobile phones. Parents and schools that have pushed for changes in their communities saw that it became possible the moment they understood that they were not alone.

Rachel Harper is principal⁷ of St. Patrick's National School in Greystones. Harper wants parents to work with their local school to organize phone bans. She said, "There's a bit more strength that way, in that all the parents in the area are talking about it."

Words in This Story

adolescence - n. the period of life when a child develops into an adult

take off - v. (phrasal) to quickly become very popular

push (something) back - v. (phrasal) to change (a planned event) to start at a later date or time

bullying -n. the act of using threats and force to get others to do what you want them to do

focus - n. the ability to direct your attention or effort at something specific

1 mobile   

adj.可移动的，易变的，机动的；n.运动物体

参考例句：

• The old lady sits on a mobile chair every morning.那位老妇人每天上午坐在一把可携带使用的椅子上。
• She's much more mobile now that she's bought a car.自从她买了汽车后，活动量就大多了。

2 devices   

n.设备；装置( device的名词复数 )；花招；（为实现某种目的的）计划；手段

参考例句：

• electrical labour-saving devices around the home 节省劳力的各种家用电器
• modern labour-saving devices such as washing machines and dishwashers 诸如洗衣机和洗碗机之类的现代化省力设备

3 adolescence   

n.青春期，青少年

参考例句：

• Adolescence is the process of going from childhood to maturity.青春期是从少年到成年的过渡期。
• The film is about the trials and tribulations of adolescence.这部电影讲述了青春期的麻烦和苦恼。

4 secondary   

adj.中级的，中等的，次要的；n.次要位置，副手

参考例句：

• It's a question of secondary importance.这是个次要的问题。
• Secondary school means junior school and high school.中学是指初中和高中。

5 deems   

v.认为，相信( deem的第三人称单数 )；想

参考例句：

• The delegation deems it necessary to state its position. 代表团认为有必要说明自己的立场。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The Chinese Government deems it necessary to reiterate its position and policy on the following matters. 在此，中国政府认为有必要就以下几个问题重申自己的立场和政策。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 county   

n.县，郡

参考例句：

• When the good news reached there,the whole county rejoiced.喜讯传到那里时，全县的人都欢欣鼓舞起来。
• In that year county after county fell to the enemy.那一年一个又一个的县城沦入敌人手中。

7 principal   

adj.主要的；n.负责人，校长，资本

参考例句：

• When he saw the principal,he raised his hand in salutation.他看到校长时举手敬礼。
• Their school gave a reception to their new principal.他们学校为新校长举办了一个招待会。

8 principals   

n.负责人( principal的名词复数 )；[法律]本人；主要的人（或物）

参考例句：

• I must consult my principals. 我得同委托人商量一下。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The subsequent rapport between the two principals assisted the transition process. 这两位首脑在这次会谈后所建立的和谐关系帮助了交接工作的进行。 来自辞典例句

9 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

10 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

11 bullying   

v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈

参考例句：

• Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
• All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

13 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。