Dubai: A parent community-led movement is quietly transforming the use of smartphones and social media by young students in the UAE.
Screenwise Child UAE, a community initiative of parents, advocates limiting smartphone access until the age of 14 and delaying children’s entry into social media till they are 16.
The initiative encourages schools to adopt policies that de-emphasise technology, proposing that devices should not be mandatory before Year 5, while ensuring that children become digitally literate through the meaningful use of technology.
The campaign also advocates free play and independence by eliminating unnecessary screen time. These objectives aim to shield children from the negative consequences of excessive screen exposure, such as addiction, harmful content, and mental health issues.
With more than 2,000 members from around 75 schools, the group is taking several steps to safeguard young minds from the perils of excessive screen time and irresponsible use of social media.
According to the co-founders, the mission of Screenwise Child UAE is to foster a smartphone-free childhood.
The movement is part of a broader global trend, with countries like Spain, France, and Australia implementing different levels of bans on smartphone and social media in schools due to concerns over addiction and mental health.
Similar measures have emerged in the US and parts of Asia as well.
In the UAE also, the co-founders said, several schools have begun introducing systems to restrict smartphone use during school hours. They are implementing measures such as smartphone lock systems including Yondr pouches, phone collection policies, complete bans at the junior levels, and stricter usage regulations to reduce distractions and promote a healthier learning environment.
Over the last five years, studies have consistently linked smartphones and social media to worrying harms, the co-founders point out.
An Arab Youth Survey revealed that 82 per cent of young people in the GCC struggle to disconnect from social media, a situation worsened by the UAE’s high social media penetration rate. In the MENA region, the average user of social media has 8.4 social media accounts, while this increases to 10.5 accounts for social media users in the UAE, according to a 2021 study.
Meanwhile, schools that have implemented smartphone bans have often seen improvements in grades and behaviour, according to studies conducted elsewhere.
Screenwise Child UAE is now calling on more parents and schools to champion their cause.
How it started
Amelia Haughey, an executive leadership consultant, qualified lawyer and mother of four, initiated Screenwise Child UAE after being inspired by her childhood friend, Clare Fernyhough, co-founder of the UK’s Smartphone Free Childhood movement.
A chartered surveyor and mum of two, Samantha Bohnacker joined her, having taken the decision for her own children to go against the tide of “secondary school equals social media”.
“We decided that we had to create something separate here, because it’s a very different environment,” Amelia told Gulf News in an interview.
The duo was joined by Dr Alison Burrows, a professor in the Department of Education and Early Childhood Studies at Middlesex University Dubai.
Her research already dealt with meaningful learning with technology for children and examined the impact of screen time on the developing child.
The other two co-founders are Amelia’s husband, Toby Haughey, who is a management consultant and a military veteran, and Natalie Pietrobon, a former Royal Australian Air Force pilot-turned consultant and a mother of two children.
What started off as a WhatsApp group of the cofounders has grown into dozens of school-wise groups and umbrella groups for different emirates, especially Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
“These groups exist for parents to find like-minded individuals, allowing them to approach school leaderships collectively,” explained Amelia.
“While smart devices have been integral to adult life, transitioning away from them takes time. We’re in contact with Nokia, which is developing new phones to offer necessary functions without unwanted exposure, providing better options for users,” she said.
While they have adopted a bottom-up approach to educate parents, the co-founders said they will also be collaborating with the education authorities while respectfully following the guidelines.
Perils of smartphones
Citing several studies, the co-founders pointed out that smartphones and social media expose children to harmful content like sexual material, online harassment, sextortion schemes, unrealistic beauty standards, and cyberbullying, leading to serious mental and emotional health risks.
They highlighted that children are exposed to inappropriate content, and algorithms quickly escalate this by targeting their interests, worsening over time with each click or view.
“For this, we need tech companies to be held accountable, which will be a challenging task,” pointed out Samantha.
Smartphone use is often linked to poor mental health outcomes, including increased anxiety, loneliness, and negative long-term impacts, especially when introduced at a young age. Some studies have cited smartphones as a ‘constant distraction’ with some children reporting distraction due to their peers’ digital habits.
Amelia highlighted the issue of self-validation on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, which also create addictive loops. “A 14-year-old may feel validated by online compliments but can quickly spiral into negative feelings when validation stops, leading to unhealthy comparisons and issues like anorexia. These are real issues that teenagers have always faced, but now it is there all the time, constantly. There is no escape from it, and we as parents and teachers have to create that escape.”
Virtual vs real life
Dr Alison, who began a doctoral programme at Johns Hopkins in 2017, focusing on whether rapid technology integration in schools is beneficial, said research consistently shows that technology is not a silver bullet. “There is no direct link to improved student achievement, and in many cases, it correlates with declining student scores.”
She pointed out that the brain develops through real-world interactions, not screens, creating neural pathways that help children handle challenges. Limiting exposure to diverse people and environments hinders children’s brain development and prevents them from building crucial skills for navigating complex social situations and becoming resilient in the future.
Dr Alison highlighted that there are several frameworks that support meaningful learning with technology and she has been training teachers to use them effectively.
Though the movement aims to delay access to smartphones and social media, Amelia said it also promotes digital literacy while being mindful of excessive screen time, prioritising real-world connections, and preserving face-to-face interactions.
How to cut screen time
Samantha, who is working with different schools to reduce the use of devices, said: “My children are in senior school where devices are heavily used for homework. I’ve suggested that schools be mindful of their emphasis on online learning and implement policies like screen-free breaks, which some have started implementing. Additionally, we are encouraging schools and parents to set parameters for screen time, particularly for younger students, to balance technology with traditional learning methods. Schools are also urged to ask parents not to allow students to keep devices in their bedrooms.”
Samantha shared her personal initiative of establishing a phone-free dinner table routine, which has led to more meaningful conversations with her children.
Finding like-minded parents in the group has helped many have more confident conversations with their children about healthy tech boundaries, she said. For example, one parent has taken a “huge decision” to implement a screen-free Sunday. “I would like to try that as well,” said Samantha. Some other parents have chosen the bandwagon of those buying “dumb phones.”
What Screenwise parents are doing
Zeina Fakhouri is among the parents who purchased a basic phone for her 12-year-old daughter during this year’s Back To School shopping season.
She told Gulf News: “Since my daughter was very young, we have kept an ongoing conversation about phones. Together, we have discussed, researched, and interviewed professionals to weigh the pros and cons. We made the decision that she wouldn’t have a smartphone until she is older—a timeline we will decide together as she grows.
"When she started middle school and needed to take the bus, we opted for a basic Nokia 105. It allows me to coordinate pick-ups, which is especially helpful when juggling her baby brother. However, we still believe a smartphone can wait a few more years.”
Bypassing firewalls
Another concerned parent highlighted the dangers of giving young children smartphones. In her experience, kids use their iPads for gaming during class, despite parental controls. “None of it is during break time, lunch time, all during class,” said the mother, who preferred not to be named.
She recounted her experience with her 11-year-old son, who asked for a VPN to bypass school firewalls: “He said, all my friends in school download free VPNs on the App Store and go over the firewall.”
To tackle these issues, she has implemented strict controls, blocking some apps and tracking his usage. However, she stressed the need for collective action from parents and schools to establish stronger tech regulations to protect children.
“I have three children, and their smartphones stay at home during school to avoid distractions. Hopefully, more parents will start doing this. Parents buying dumb phones is a positive trend,” she added.
Family phone
Jordanian mother Abrar Mikkawi is concerned about the potential risks that children may face through social media.
Hence, rather than giving personal phones to her three children, who all attend the same school, she uses a “family phone” that is shared and supervised.
“There is no specific privacy for any child taking it with them to take photos or to put any content that I’m not supervising,” she explained.
