Digital plague: How smartphones and algorithms reshaped childhood

With rapid technological advances, the smartphone boom of the early 2010s had, by 2012, become what many describe as a point of no return for society. The rise of engagement-driven algorithms, the migration of video games to smartphones, and round-the-clock online connectivity profoundly reshaped the mental and emotional lives of children and adolescents, fueling growing concerns about their psychological well-being. Research has shown a sharp rise after 2012 in depression, anxiety disorders, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, peer bullying, and concerns over changes in children's perceptions of gender. According to research findings, as smartphone use became widespread, cases of depression among children increased by 134%, while diagnoses of anxiety disorders rose by 106%. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that one in five children is living with major depression. Clinical evidence also suggests that the age at which psychiatric medication is prescribed in some cases has fallen to as young as five. The data also suggest that the deterioration in mental health has been reflected in higher rates of suicidal behavior. Among girls under the age of 16, the share reporting suicidal tendencies rose from 0.7% to 22%, while the corresponding figure for boys increased to 12%. Studies have also highlighted the adverse effects of screen use on sleep and cognitive development. Researchers found that every two hours spent in front of a screen reduces sleep time, while children who slept one hour less per day over a six-year period experienced delays in cognitive development equivalent to as much as one year. Prof. Dr. Levent Eraslan, President of the Social Media and Digital Security Education Research Center, has made striking observations on how the smartphone revolution and algorithm-driven social media have affected children. Eraslan said that 2012 marked a turning point for the digital world. Levent Eraslan said: 'After 2012, the internet was no longer a place people visited occasionally; it became an environment in which they lived constantly. Humanity has reached a point where almost every aspect of daily life is now managed through digital tools. As smartphones became widespread, children's ways of playing and forming friendships shifted from streets and playgrounds to screens. Face-to-face conversations and the empathy learned through playing together were replaced by likes and messaging. This fundamental shift brought with it a range of significant challenges.' Prof. Dr. Levent Eraslan highlighted several striking examples, saying: 'Less sleep, attention problems, inactivity, declining grades... The desire to constantly stay connected to a phone—driven by the fear of missing out (FOMO)—keeps children in front of screens late into the night, which can fuel anxiety and feelings of loneliness. Bullying no longer ends when children leave school; it can follow them home through their phones. Children's communication habits have also changed, with faster exposure to slang and, alongside this, signs of increased tendencies toward violent behavior.' Eraslan said: 'Infinite scrolling, autoplay videos and randomly timed notifications are all designed to trigger the brain's reward system. Not knowing what the next post will bring keeps people glued to their screens, much like a slot machine. For a child whose self-control has not yet fully developed, coping with these designs can be difficult. A mind accustomed to fast, bright and constantly changing content can struggle when faced with activities that require patience, such as reading a book or studying. On top of that, exposure to filtered images and seemingly perfect lives can easily lead children to develop self-confidence issues and feelings of inadequacy. 'The time you spend watching scrolling videos on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Twitter, for example, becomes data for the algorithm. If you watch a nature-related video for an extended period, the system interprets this as a preference and begins showing you personalized content designed to keep you engaged on the screen.' Eraslan noted: 'Parental controls and age restrictions often remain effective only on paper. It takes a child just a few seconds to bypass age requirements by providing false information, while the way algorithms operate remains largely invisible from the outside. Looking at this situation, it is difficult to say that companies have truly made child safety a priority. Instead, they are focused on monetizing every aspect of the digital world, including through offerings such as ad-free content.' Eraslan emphasized that 'completely banning technology is not the solution; children need to be taught how to use it in a healthy way. Everyone has a role to play,' and outlined the following recommendations: Companies: ''Children's accounts should have features such as infinite scrolling, nighttime notifications and autoplay disabled by default. Platforms should also introduce strict age-verification measures for user registrations. Government: Age restrictions should be enforced not only on paper but also in practice. Authorities should oversee algorithmic transparency and strengthen laws protecting children's data. Regulations should remain adaptable and flexible in line with the rapid pace of digital change. A dedicated oversight body for the digital world should also be established to monitor digital platforms comprehensively. Schools: Digital literacy and cyberbullying prevention should be incorporated into curricula, while phone use during school hours should be limited. Teachers should receive training on digital literacy and combating online bullying, a priority also highlighted by Türkiye's Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin. Schools should ensure that educators help students understand and monitor their digital footprints. Families: Rather than imposing outright bans, parents should provide guidance. They should establish screen-free areas such as dining tables and bedrooms, set an example through their own phone habits, and consider giving younger children simple devices intended only for communication instead of unrestricted internet-enabled devices. Most importantly, children should be offered meaningful offline activities—such as sports, friendships and hobbies. Parents should also receive digital education to ensure they are equipped to navigate the rapidly changing digital landscape, including understanding the games their children play, the platforms they use and the digital footprints they leave behind. Civil society organizations: Numerous associations, foundations and platforms should provide large-scale training programs to increase digital safety awareness and digital literacy across society. They should organize awareness initiatives targeting parents, children and teachers.''