STAT+: Across the U.S., homegrown experiments aim to save kids from their phones

MILWAUKEE — Kat Zilka sat on the floor of her living room, beside a glowing Christmas tree and a pile of essays, and felt like weeping. It was late in 2022, and she had asked her 12th grade digital journalism students to reflect on their relationships to devices. “The things they were writing were deeply disturbing,” she said. Teenagers quietly enduring online abuse, using their phones all night without their parents’ knowledge, or trapped in a cycle of deleting and redownloading social media. Their words made real what Zilka had been observing for years — how the light in students’ eyes was dimmer, especially since Covid — and revealed the astonishing magnitude of the problem. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and news alerts. Already have an account? Log in View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe