> At a Glance
> – 1.16 hours: average daily phone use by U.S. high-schoolers while on campus
> – 640 teens tracked from Sept 2022 to May 2024 via Android devices
> – Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat top the in-school app list
> – Why it matters: Heavy social-media use during class may erode focus, grades and face-to-face skills
American high-schoolers are averaging more than an hour of daily screen time on campus, according to newly released smartphone data. Researchers warn the habit is sapping classroom attention and widening learning gaps.
Inside the Numbers
The University of Washington School of Medicine followed 640 students aged 13-18 across September 2022-May 2024. Parental consent allowed passive tracking of Android devices.
Key findings:
- 1.16 hours per school day glued to phones
- Social platforms dominate: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat lead usage
- YouTube and mobile games rank next
- Older teens (16-18) from lower-income homes log the heaviest minutes
Designed for Dependence
Apps purposely hook users with rapid-fire content, says senior author Dr. Dimitri Christakis.
> “These apps are designed to be addictive. They deprive students of the opportunity to be fully engaged in class and to hone their social skills with classmates and teachers.”
The dopamine-reward loops keep teens scrolling, mirroring trends noted in separate studies from Brown University and Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University that link short-form feeds to shrinking attention spans.
Policy Patchwork
Thirty-five states plus Washington, D.C. already impose some phone limits, yet enforcement is weak.
- 74% of U.S. adults back bans in middle and high schools
- UNPLUGGED Act and Focus on Learning Act aim to curb school-day distractions but remain unsigned
Dr. Christakis argues stricter, consistent rules are critical:
> “To date, they’ve been very poorly enforced, if at all. I think the U.S. has to recognize the generational implications of depriving children of opportunities to learn in school.”
Key Takeaways
- Over an hour a day of in-school phone use is now typical for teens
- Social media apps, engineered for addiction, consume the bulk of that time
- Math and reading scores continue slipping, exacerbated by pandemic learning loss
- Stronger, uniformly enforced bans may be needed to reclaim classroom focus
With achievement metrics already sliding, the new data intensifies debate over whether phones help or hinder learning.
