The Latest Breaking News from Jonathan Haidt

The Harvard ethicist and author on the similarities between digital technology and religion, the value of scepticism, and how to develop a positive relationship with our devices

“If you can’t say no to a cupcake, you’re not going to be able to say no to TikTok,” says psychologist Becky Kennedy, a.k.a. Dr. Becky.

As long as academic institutions place social justice goals ahead of truth seeking and knowledge creation, they will lose the respect of the public and will not live up to their potential.

Parents concerned about the possible dangers smartphone use might have for their children are turning to “dumb phones”. These are the brick-shaped or flip phones today’s parents might have had themselves as teenagers, only capable of making calls or sending text messages and lacking access to social media apps.

Rates of mental ill health among young people are on the rise. Between the years 2020 and 2022, 39% of Australians aged 16 to 24 had a mental disorder in the previous year, compared to 26% in that age range in 2007, and 27% of those aged 18–24 in 1997.

Tips for fostering screen time for media creation rather than media consumption in children, from NYU technology and gaming professor Jan Plass

'The Anxious Generation' chief researcher holds his ground in what he calls “a normal academic debate.”

Jonathan Haidt’s claims about the effects of devices on children’s wellbeing have been criticised for lacking proof, but they tell us what we need to know

Many experts around the world say smartphones pose a danger to children’s mental health, but does a ban work?