Phone Addiction and Youth Culture
Prompt
Contemporary life is marked by controversy. Choose a controversial local, national, or global issue with which you are familiar. Within this issue, consider any opposing positions, solutions, and compromises. Write an essay that argues your position on this controversy. In your response you should do the following: • Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible position. • Provide evidence to support your line of reasoning. • Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning. • Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.
Essay
With the development of technology, phones have become an inseparable part of people's daily lives. To be more specific, many people have developed addictive behavioral patterns toward phones, and this phenomenon happens especially frequently among children. As a result, there is a recent debate on both the internet and in universities about whether the government should ban phones for children under 16. In this debate, most people claim that, due to both physical and mental negative effects, phones should be prohibited for children under 16.
Eye issues are illnesses that have troubled humans for thousands of years, and these problems are becoming more and more common among teenagers today. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, by 2025, almost 40 percent of teenagers around the age of 15 show signs of eye problems. What's more, according to another university research study, most teenagers who experience eye issues own a digital device and use it for entertainment. This is undoubtedly a serious problem. People rely on their eyes to work and create value. With such a large number of eye issues, the future development of the younger generation may be affected.
For phone users, access to the internet usually requires staying indoors with Wi-Fi, and for children, this often means staying at home for the whole weekend without exercise. My friend Jerry, who loves scrolling through short videos at home, once passed out in his room after staying up late and remaining indoors for three days. As a representative example of children addicted to phones, my friend's story, combined with the data about eye issues, clearly demonstrates how phones can damage the health of an entire generation.
However, some people also argue that there is enough useful information on the internet, such as niche knowledge and educational videos. While this is true, the reality is that most children lack the self-control to use phones primarily for educational purposes. Social media algorithms are specifically designed to maximize engagement, often by promoting entertaining rather than educational content. Therefore, the potential educational benefits are frequently overshadowed by addictive entertainment features.
In conclusion, phone addiction among youth represents a significant public health concern that requires thoughtful intervention. The evidence of physical harm through eye problems and sedentary behavior, combined with psychological impacts, suggests that limiting phone access for children under 16 is a reasonable policy consideration. While technology offers genuine benefits, protecting the health and development of young people must remain a priority.