More than a quarter century ago, John Healey – then a Toronto high school principal – told The Globe and Mail he was concerned about a new technology spreading through teen ranks: cellphones.
There haven’t been any effective attempts to curb the problem until recently, another example of the lag between fast evolving technology and the response to its potential harms. In recent months, Canadian governments and school boards have taken steps to sharply limit the presence of cellphones in classrooms, a move aimed at fostering learning.
Outside the classroom, managing the impact of students’ cellphone use is more difficult. One key way to do so is by understanding and limiting harms through social media, which makes up the bulk of the time young people spend on their phones.