Jonathan Haidt
@jonathanhaidt.bsky.social
Social psychologist at NYU-Stern, working to roll back the phone-based childhood. Please visit anxiousgeneration.com & afterbabel.com
Social media does not give teens real community; it prevents them from spending time with real people.
New randomized controlled trial shows young adults get LESS lonely when they reduce, even though their friends are not reducing. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
New randomized controlled trial shows young adults get LESS lonely when they reduce, even though their friends are not reducing. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
February 9, 2026 at 9:12 PM
Social media does not give teens real community; it prevents them from spending time with real people.
New randomized controlled trial shows young adults get LESS lonely when they reduce, even though their friends are not reducing. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
New randomized controlled trial shows young adults get LESS lonely when they reduce, even though their friends are not reducing. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
"There’s never been a better time to touch the hearts of people, you just have to be human." A wonderful post on my Substack by Freya India, one of the best writers I know, who writes about Gen Z.
www.afterbabel.com/p/you-have-t...
www.afterbabel.com/p/you-have-t...
You Have To Be Human
I realize now that I want to be real
www.afterbabel.com
February 6, 2026 at 8:04 PM
"There’s never been a better time to touch the hearts of people, you just have to be human." A wonderful post on my Substack by Freya India, one of the best writers I know, who writes about Gen Z.
www.afterbabel.com/p/you-have-t...
www.afterbabel.com/p/you-have-t...
It was an honor to meet Indonesia's Minister Hafid on my recent trip to Europe and hear about how, beginning in March, Indonesia is taking decisive steps to protect children from online harms. It is thrilling to see the world's 4th largest country — with 80 million kids — taking decisive action.
February 4, 2026 at 9:56 PM
It was an honor to meet Indonesia's Minister Hafid on my recent trip to Europe and hear about how, beginning in March, Indonesia is taking decisive steps to protect children from online harms. It is thrilling to see the world's 4th largest country — with 80 million kids — taking decisive action.
Reposted by Jonathan Haidt
This book from @jonathanhaidt.bsky.social seems like a good place to start for parents that want to talk to their kids about how AI can be addictive just like other apps
blackbondbooks.com/item/uFul1NH...
blackbondbooks.com/item/uFul1NH...
The Amazing Generation by Jonathan Haidt | Black Bond Books
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Inspired by the award-winning phenomenon The Anxious Generation, this new book for kids and tweens is a comprehensive guide for living a happy and exciting life that isn...
blackbondbooks.com
January 29, 2026 at 3:00 AM
This book from @jonathanhaidt.bsky.social seems like a good place to start for parents that want to talk to their kids about how AI can be addictive just like other apps
blackbondbooks.com/item/uFul1NH...
blackbondbooks.com/item/uFul1NH...
Maine Governor @janetmillsforme.bsky.social announced in her State of the State address last night her intent to champion a bell-to-bell ban for Maine. Bravo, governor! This would be a fantastic way to allow kids to focus not presence, learning, and each other.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwPk...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwPk...
Gov. Mills pushes for statewide ban on student cellphone use during school day
YouTube video by NEWS CENTER Maine
www.youtube.com
January 29, 2026 at 3:50 AM
Maine Governor @janetmillsforme.bsky.social announced in her State of the State address last night her intent to champion a bell-to-bell ban for Maine. Bravo, governor! This would be a fantastic way to allow kids to focus not presence, learning, and each other.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwPk...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwPk...
If you're in NYC on Thursday Feb 5, join @chrislhayes.bsky.social & me at Strand Bookstore!
RSVP here: www.eventbrite.com/e/chris-haye...
RSVP here: www.eventbrite.com/e/chris-haye...
Chris Hayes + Jonathan Haidt: The Sirens’ Call
Join us for an event with Emmy Award-winning host Chris Hayes, discussing his novel THE SIRENS’ CALL.
www.eventbrite.com
January 28, 2026 at 4:43 PM
If you're in NYC on Thursday Feb 5, join @chrislhayes.bsky.social & me at Strand Bookstore!
RSVP here: www.eventbrite.com/e/chris-haye...
RSVP here: www.eventbrite.com/e/chris-haye...
A highlight from my London trip: running into a group of survivor parents (whose children have died because of social media) outside No10.
We must make the internet safe for kids by age-gating social media and setting new norms for kids' and teens' device use.
We must make the internet safe for kids by age-gating social media and setting new norms for kids' and teens' device use.
January 27, 2026 at 9:44 PM
A highlight from my London trip: running into a group of survivor parents (whose children have died because of social media) outside No10.
We must make the internet safe for kids by age-gating social media and setting new norms for kids' and teens' device use.
We must make the internet safe for kids by age-gating social media and setting new norms for kids' and teens' device use.
The greatest downside from social media — for adults, but especially for kids and teens — is the attention fragmentation.
The UK is about to adopt an Australia-style minimum age for social media accounts policy — this morning on Good Morning Britain:
The UK is about to adopt an Australia-style minimum age for social media accounts policy — this morning on Good Morning Britain:
January 27, 2026 at 1:07 AM
The greatest downside from social media — for adults, but especially for kids and teens — is the attention fragmentation.
The UK is about to adopt an Australia-style minimum age for social media accounts policy — this morning on Good Morning Britain:
The UK is about to adopt an Australia-style minimum age for social media accounts policy — this morning on Good Morning Britain:
Reposted by Jonathan Haidt
@jonathanhaidt.bsky.social is absolutely correct here. It’s a collective action problem that requires collective solutions.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/p...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/p...
January 21, 2026 at 4:22 PM
@jonathanhaidt.bsky.social is absolutely correct here. It’s a collective action problem that requires collective solutions.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/p...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/p...
Perhaps more than any other group, looksmaxxers reveal the depth of the moral crisis that confronts young men today. @chatterton.bsky.social in @theatlantic.com www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
‘Looksmaxxing’ Reveals the Depth of the Crisis Facing Young Men
The most narcissistic corner of the internet is having a moment.
www.theatlantic.com
January 22, 2026 at 10:06 PM
Perhaps more than any other group, looksmaxxers reveal the depth of the moral crisis that confronts young men today. @chatterton.bsky.social in @theatlantic.com www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Grateful to President Macron for an engaging conversation at #Davos on how to protect kids from predatory #socialmedia algorithms. I appreciate the President and his cabinet working toward an Australia-like policy.
January 22, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Grateful to President Macron for an engaging conversation at #Davos on how to protect kids from predatory #socialmedia algorithms. I appreciate the President and his cabinet working toward an Australia-like policy.
I'll be at #HumanChange in #Davos during the World Economic Forum next week. I’ll be joined by leaders from across technology, education, policy, psychology and civil society.
Learn more about our program and register your interest here: davos2026.humanchange.com
#HumanChangeHouse #WEF2026
Learn more about our program and register your interest here: davos2026.humanchange.com
#HumanChangeHouse #WEF2026
January 17, 2026 at 9:14 PM
I'll be at #HumanChange in #Davos during the World Economic Forum next week. I’ll be joined by leaders from across technology, education, policy, psychology and civil society.
Learn more about our program and register your interest here: davos2026.humanchange.com
#HumanChangeHouse #WEF2026
Learn more about our program and register your interest here: davos2026.humanchange.com
#HumanChangeHouse #WEF2026
Major update on our work: In the last few years, a flood of new research has altered the landscape of the debate around kids, smartphones, and social media.
Together, these findings allow us say:
📣 No, social media is not safe for children and adolescents. www.afterbabel.com/p/mountains-...
Together, these findings allow us say:
📣 No, social media is not safe for children and adolescents. www.afterbabel.com/p/mountains-...
Mountains of Evidence
Two new projects catalogue research on social media’s many harms to adolescents. Some of the strongest evidence comes from Meta.
www.afterbabel.com
January 15, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Major update on our work: In the last few years, a flood of new research has altered the landscape of the debate around kids, smartphones, and social media.
Together, these findings allow us say:
📣 No, social media is not safe for children and adolescents. www.afterbabel.com/p/mountains-...
Together, these findings allow us say:
📣 No, social media is not safe for children and adolescents. www.afterbabel.com/p/mountains-...
Full post: www.afterbabel.com/p/why-every-...
Why Every Country Should Set 16 (or Higher) as the Minimum Age for Social Media Accounts
Four features of strong age-limit policies for countries ready to follow Australia’s brave lead
www.afterbabel.com
January 14, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Full post: www.afterbabel.com/p/why-every-...
Many countries are going to follow #Australia's #socialmedia minimum age policy. Here's why countries should all set 16 (not 15) as the minimum age, and should not add the complexity of parental-consent exceptions.
From me and @iyerland.bsky.social on my Substack, After Babel
From me and @iyerland.bsky.social on my Substack, After Babel
January 14, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Many countries are going to follow #Australia's #socialmedia minimum age policy. Here's why countries should all set 16 (not 15) as the minimum age, and should not add the complexity of parental-consent exceptions.
From me and @iyerland.bsky.social on my Substack, After Babel
From me and @iyerland.bsky.social on my Substack, After Babel
The Grok "undress" button scandal is just the latest evidence that social media is wildly inappropriate for minors. Social media is causing chaos and cruelty in children's lives.
Teachers see it: UK teachers union calls for a minimum age of 16:
Teachers see it: UK teachers union calls for a minimum age of 16:
Ban social media for under-16s, top teaching union urges UK government
NASUWT says evidence growing that unregulated access affects behaviour in school and harms mental health
www.theguardian.com
January 12, 2026 at 7:42 PM
The Grok "undress" button scandal is just the latest evidence that social media is wildly inappropriate for minors. Social media is causing chaos and cruelty in children's lives.
Teachers see it: UK teachers union calls for a minimum age of 16:
Teachers see it: UK teachers union calls for a minimum age of 16:
New Jersey just became the 21st state to implement #phonefreeschools for the entire school day! Thank you @govmurphy.bsky.social for seeing this bill through, and for everyone who worked to restore a healthier childhood and adolescence to New Jersey's kids!
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
New Jersey is the latest state to ban cellphones during the school day in grades K-12
The new law specifically requires the prohibition of non-academic uses of internet-connected devices - including phones - during the school day.
www.yahoo.com
January 8, 2026 at 8:29 PM
New Jersey just became the 21st state to implement #phonefreeschools for the entire school day! Thank you @govmurphy.bsky.social for seeing this bill through, and for everyone who worked to restore a healthier childhood and adolescence to New Jersey's kids!
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
One of the reasons to believe smartphones and social media are bad for kids and teens is the fact that the people who make these technologies forbid them to their own kids.
Thank you @neildegrassetyson.com for having me on StarTalk! Full episode in their pod feeds.
Thank you @neildegrassetyson.com for having me on StarTalk! Full episode in their pod feeds.
January 7, 2026 at 7:27 PM
One of the reasons to believe smartphones and social media are bad for kids and teens is the fact that the people who make these technologies forbid them to their own kids.
Thank you @neildegrassetyson.com for having me on StarTalk! Full episode in their pod feeds.
Thank you @neildegrassetyson.com for having me on StarTalk! Full episode in their pod feeds.
One of @theatlantic.com's most read stories for 2025, by Lenore Skenazy, Zach Rausch & me:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
What Kids Told Us About How to Get Them Off Their Phones
Children who were raised on screens need more freedom out in the real world.
www.theatlantic.com
January 2, 2026 at 7:16 PM
One of @theatlantic.com's most read stories for 2025, by Lenore Skenazy, Zach Rausch & me:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
It’s pub day for #TheAmazingGeneration, my new book for kids, written w/Catherine Price.
The book is perfect for 9-12-year-olds, whether or not they already have a smartphone. It’s an engaging, full-color guide packed with surprising facts, interactive challenges, and it has a graphic novel!
The book is perfect for 9-12-year-olds, whether or not they already have a smartphone. It’s an engaging, full-color guide packed with surprising facts, interactive challenges, and it has a graphic novel!
December 30, 2025 at 1:51 PM
It’s pub day for #TheAmazingGeneration, my new book for kids, written w/Catherine Price.
The book is perfect for 9-12-year-olds, whether or not they already have a smartphone. It’s an engaging, full-color guide packed with surprising facts, interactive challenges, and it has a graphic novel!
The book is perfect for 9-12-year-olds, whether or not they already have a smartphone. It’s an engaging, full-color guide packed with surprising facts, interactive challenges, and it has a graphic novel!
Parents asked us for a kids' companion book to "The Anxious Generation," and we wrote it! "The Amazing Generation" comes out 12/30. Written for 9-12yos, it helps them choose real-life adventure over the lure of screens. With Catherine Price — thanks @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social
December 19, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Parents asked us for a kids' companion book to "The Anxious Generation," and we wrote it! "The Amazing Generation" comes out 12/30. Written for 9-12yos, it helps them choose real-life adventure over the lure of screens. With Catherine Price — thanks @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social
“The Amazing Generation,” my new book with Catherine Price, helps kids choose real-life adventure over the endless screens. It comes out 12/30!
December 17, 2025 at 8:54 PM
“The Amazing Generation,” my new book with Catherine Price, helps kids choose real-life adventure over the endless screens. It comes out 12/30!
Reposted by Jonathan Haidt
📢Our piece on @jonathanhaidt.bsky.social's "After Babel" Substack:
Strong public support to restrict social media for children in Germany
www.afterbabel.com/p/strong-pub...
A huge majority of adults favors a minimum age for social media – and even adolescents themselves see harm from social media
Strong public support to restrict social media for children in Germany
www.afterbabel.com/p/strong-pub...
A huge majority of adults favors a minimum age for social media – and even adolescents themselves see harm from social media
Strong Public Support To Restrict Social Media for Children in Germany
A huge majority of adults favors a minimum age for social media – and even adolescents themselves see harm from social media.
www.afterbabel.com
December 16, 2025 at 4:05 PM
📢Our piece on @jonathanhaidt.bsky.social's "After Babel" Substack:
Strong public support to restrict social media for children in Germany
www.afterbabel.com/p/strong-pub...
A huge majority of adults favors a minimum age for social media – and even adolescents themselves see harm from social media
Strong public support to restrict social media for children in Germany
www.afterbabel.com/p/strong-pub...
A huge majority of adults favors a minimum age for social media – and even adolescents themselves see harm from social media
Reposted by Jonathan Haidt
EDUCATORS! Just a few more weeks to preorder upload your receipt to get your FREE classroom pack with purchase of THE AMAZING GENERATION—the companion to THE ANXIOUS GENERATION written specifically for kids! @jonathanhaidt.bsky.social
Amazing Generation Educator GWP
penguinschoollibrary.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:46 PM
EDUCATORS! Just a few more weeks to preorder upload your receipt to get your FREE classroom pack with purchase of THE AMAZING GENERATION—the companion to THE ANXIOUS GENERATION written specifically for kids! @jonathanhaidt.bsky.social
The Australia social media age limit policy is the most significant measure to protect children from social media harms — and other countries are already planning similar measures
www.heraldsun.com.au/news/nationa...
www.heraldsun.com.au/news/nationa...
www.heraldsun.com.au
December 11, 2025 at 3:13 AM
The Australia social media age limit policy is the most significant measure to protect children from social media harms — and other countries are already planning similar measures
www.heraldsun.com.au/news/nationa...
www.heraldsun.com.au/news/nationa...