Are Smartphones Destroying The Adolescent Brain Analysis

To keep in-touch with the real world, many teens use smartphones such as the IPhone and Android, which are devices that allow teens to access social media, internet content, and a plethora of general information. It has become a harrowing topic of discussion recently. As more teenagers use smartphones in school and at home, questions and concerns are surfacing. Some parents do not know the true effect of smartphones on their children. Do smartphones actually hinder teen development? How can we ultimately protect our children if it does?

In “Are Smartphones Really Destroying the Adolescent Brain?” published in Scientific American Magazine, author Carlin Flora’s thesis is that the effects of excessive smartphone use on teenager’s brains are motley and convoluted. Flora examines three main points in her article. First, Flora reveals that certain scientific research has produced incomplete and ambiguous data. Certain studies have shown correlation between hindered brain development and

She strongly describes the challenges that parents face when having to understand smartphones. Yet she fails to acknowledge that teens are not as easily persuaded as they are portrayed to be. I enjoyed how she expressed her point that there is still research to be conducted as the technology industry becomes more bountiful and teenagers change. In an online Twitter conversation I had with Flora, she mentioned how “[she] tried to take a moderate stance that did not rely on stereotypes about teens." The topic of teen smartphone use is important for us to discuss. It is extremely controversial and presents itself with different ethical and moral dilemmas. We need to develop some kind of understanding to allow teens to live their best lives. Are smartphones really threatening teens’ mental health? Who knows—there’s essentially no reliable research on the topic at this