Are you wrestling with the decision to hand your pre-teen a smartphone? Maybe you’re staunchly opposed, convinced it’s a dangerous step. Wherever you stand, a heart-wrenching study from the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities demands our attention, delivering a gut-punch of evidence that could reshape how parents see this choice. Let’s walk through this together, and then we’ll unpack the weight of it all.

The findings hit hard: children who get smartphones before age 13 are far more likely to grapple with suicidal thoughts in adulthood. For girls, the numbers are staggering — 48% of those given phones at ages 5-6 report suicidal thoughts, compared to 28% of those who waited until age 13. Men appeared to have fewer issues with suicidality, but more struggled to find stability, calmness, and empathy.

The researchers dove deep, studying “over 100,000 people aged 18-24 to examine the effects of childhood smartphone ownership on adult mental health.” As they wrote, “Our analysis reveals that receiving a smartphone before age 13 is associated with poorer mind health outcomes in young adulthood, particularly among females, including suicidal thoughts, detachment from reality, poorer emotional regulation, and diminished self-worth.” Social media’s grip, cyberbullying’s sting, and sleep stolen by glowing screens all play a role in this crisis. We’ll return to this in a moment.

“What’s more,” the researchers added, “the magnitude is substantial: if current trends for increasingly younger smartphone ownership and social media access continue, projections from this data suggest that this factor alone could be responsible for mental distress such as suicidal thoughts, dissociation from reality, and diminished functionings such as emotional control and resilience in nearly a third of the next generation.”

You understand that, right? A third of our future generations are possibly doomed to be haunted by suicidal thoughts, untethered from reality, stripped of emotional strength.

As Study Finds summarized, “Data came from nearly 2 million participants across 163 countries, with the core analysis focusing on over 100,000 individuals between ages 18 and 24 — Generation Z, the first group to grow up with smartphones and social media from early childhood. Participants completed an extensive online assessment covering 47 different aspects of mental functioning, from emotional regulation to social skills to cognitive abilities.”

Now, let’s face what the research states is the primary culprit: social media. Nowadays, these platforms are increasingly fueled by artificial intelligence (AI) to make content more personable to increase user engagement — in other words, they’re designed to hook young minds. As the researchers explained, “These AI-powered systems strategically exploit behavioural data and psychological vulnerabilities, potentially constraining children’s agency by eroding autonomy, diminishing decision-making capacity, and encouraging social comparison.”

On top of this, the research found that social media use, especially when done so at a young age, exposes kids to increased dangers: cyberbullying (10% of smartphone-related mental health issues), poor familial bonds (13%), poor sleep (12%), and more. So, hand a kid a smartphone without being mindful of the dangers and what’s the result? Let’s face it: They’re often pulled into a vortex of comparison and despair, their sense of self eroded by algorithms that know exactly how to keep them scrolling.

The human cost is unbearable. In one tragic case, a boy was fed content by an AI algorithm that lured him to a train track, where he took his own life. Others have turned to AI chatbots — perceived as “girlfriends” or “boyfriends” — that, in the darkest cases, have encouraged self-harm or even suicide. How many girls, bombarded by unattainable online ideals, spiral into eating disorders? How many boys, lonely and unsupervised, fall prey to the internet’s darker temptations? These aren’t isolated tragedies; they’re a growing epidemic, with young lives shattered by the very devices we place in their hands.

The message is clear: this isn’t just data — it’s a warning about the stakes of putting a smartphone in a child’s hands too soon. It’s a wake-up call to unchecked, unregulated technological advances. We can’t afford to turn a blind eye or drown in hopelessness. No, we must face these truths head-on and demand answers: What does this mean for our children, our families, and the world we’re a part of? How can we protect the next generation from this digital abyss?

My advice? Don’t be afraid. Be decisive. Whether you’re a parent, guardian, or a steward of the next generation in another form, we must act with courage and wisdom. The Bible reminds us in Proverbs 22:6 to “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” This isn’t just about teaching right from wrong; it’s about guarding vulnerable hearts and minds from influences that erode their God-given worth. Smartphones, when handed over too soon, can become tools that pull our children away from the truth of who they are in Christ — loved, cherished, and created with purpose (Psalm 139:14).

So, what exactly can we do to protect our children in this digital age? First, delay. Postpone giving your kids a smartphone until their emotional and spiritual maturity can withstand the relentless pressures of the digital world. Once that device is in their hands, there’s no simple undo button. When the time comes, set firm boundaries. Limit screen time, monitor apps closely, and foster open, honest conversations about social media’s dangers. Teach them to root their identity in God’s unchanging truth — His declaration that they are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) — not in fleeting likes, followers, or AI-curated illusions.

Another vital step in this fight is to pray. Cover your children in prayer, seeking God’s discernment to navigate this tech-saturated age and His strength to resist its temptations. Prayer isn’t just a shield; it’s a weapon against the spiritual forces at work (Ephesians 6:18). And beyond the home, we all have the power to advocate. Push for policies that regulate AI-driven platforms and protect our kids from predatory algorithms.

I’m not a parent, but as a Gen Zer, I’ve lived this shift. My childhood was a simpler time — mostly basic flip phones, barely any social media, and playtime unbound by screens. I treasured that freedom. But by high school, and especially college, I saw friends swallowed by the digital tide. “Hanging out” turned into silent scrolls through feeds. Schools demanded apps for homework; workplaces expected constant connectivity. Today, even flipping a light switch often means opening an app. Technology isn’t just a tool — it’s the current we’re all swimming in. We can harness it for good, creating and connecting in ways that honor God. But its pitfalls — addiction, comparison, isolation — are real and ravenous. Vigilance isn’t optional; it’s essential.

Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age.” This is a spiritual battle for our children’s souls, with eternal stakes. Algorithms, crafted to captivate, now compete with God’s truth for their hearts, minds, and futures. It should break our hearts that children — God’s most vulnerable — bear the brunt of this digital onslaught. As adults, we may not have all the answers about technology, but we have a mandate: to anchor our lives in God’s word, to cling to His promises, and to fight for the next generation. Psalm 127:3 reminds us that “children are a heritage from the Lord” — a treasure worth defending.

The question isn’t if you’ll stand, but when. Will you choose today? Commit now: pray fervently, advocate boldly, and guide our children toward the One who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). He alone can anchor them — and us — against the threats of the digital age, and steer us toward using all things, including technology, to glorify His name.

*Published by The Family Research Council at frc.org (1-800-225-4008; 801 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001) Authored by Sarah Holliday on August 5, 2025.