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Effects of social media and smartphone usage

This session delved into the psychological and emotional impacts of social media and smartphone usage on mental health. It explored both the benefits and drawbacks of these technologies, focusing on how they shape our self-esteem, anxiety levels, and overall well-being.

Experts discussed strategies for mitigating negative effects while maximizing positive outcomes, offering practical advice for maintaining a healthy relationship with our digital lives.

Session recording available

Missed out the live session? Don’t worry—there’s still a way to catch up! By signing up for the project, you'll get access to the full recording of the session.

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Please fill in the following information to sign up to participate in the Better Phone Project. By signing up you will receive info about upcoming Better Phone Project virtual events, and also receive access to recordings of past events.

By signing up to the Better Phone Project, I agree to the HMD Global’s Privacy Policy. Any suggestions, feedback, ideas, or other contributions I provide to HMD as part of my participation in The Better Phone Project will become the sole property of HMD. HMD may, but has no obligation to use or implement any such suggestions, feedback, ideas or other contributions you may provide.

Thank you for joining this global community and welcome to The Better Phone Project.

To finish up please be sure to check your inbox to confirm your email. Once you’ve confirmed your email you’ll receive email updates from us for The Better Phone Project and be good to go!

We will be in touch with updates on how you can get involved in sharing your views through surveys and at upcoming virtual events.

In the meantime, you can watch the recordings from our previous sessions:

You can also read out latest blog on the project’s vision here.

We’re excited you’ve joined us. Together we can help people feel better by creating the choice they need to find balance with their phones.

SPEAKER

Dr. Jean Twenge, Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University

Author of more than 190 scientific publications and seven books, including Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents—and What They Mean for America’s Future and iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood. Dr. Twenge frequently gives talks and seminars on generational differences and raising children in the digital age based on a dataset of 42 million people.

SPEAKER

Jediael Yared

Jediael Yared, is currently the Head Boy at The Fulham Boys School, in Year 13, studying Maths, Biology, and Chemistry. He aspires to become a doctor and has a strong interest in how technology is shaping our future. The impact of social media is a topic that resonates with him, as he understands the need to balance connectivity with well-being. Bridging the gap between a dumb phone and a smartphone could be a crucial step in helping people stay connected while reducing distractions, promoting focus, and improving overall mental health.

SPEAKER

Luisa Fassi

Luisa Fassi is a fourth-year PhD researcher at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge. Luisa’s research focuses on studying the complex and evolving relationship between social media use and youth mental health, with a particular emphasis on young people with pre-existing mental health conditions. In exploring this field, she adopts mixed-methods approaches, combining the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative research. Her academic background spans Cognitive Neuroscience, Molecular Psychiatry, and Psychology.

Latest blogs

Latest blogs

We’re creating a better phone – and we need your help

It’s time to talk about phones, mental health, and what can be done.

Read blog