Overview

• The jointly written essay, The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World, warns that constant phone use creates an “epidemic of disconnection” that deprives children of needed attention.
• Harvard professor Robert Waldinger acknowledges he sometimes gets “lost” in his iPhone at home and urges families to protect precious times with guardrails and apps that curb scrolling.
• Research summaries show mixed evidence on harm, with UK lawmakers flagging classroom disruption and developmental risks while large cohort studies report little sign of causal impacts.
• Ofcom data indicate one in five British children has a smartphone by age two, and the Prince of Wales says their three children are not permitted phones yet.
• Public reaction notes real constraints for working parents who rely on screens for childcare and safety, and the conversation widened as Harry and Meghan also highlighted online risks this week.