Again, it's a study that went all the way to monitor kids for 3 weeks, with sleep tracking, the school also helping etc. Minors are involved, so It must have been planned, ethically checked, reviewed and adjusted by experts.
And yet no control group. No report on what happened after the 3 weeks ( it should all go back to the similar levels once the ban is lifted, right ? Did it ?)
Not all studies can be perfect, but it feels almost intentional to go these lengths and omit such critical parts. Was this just some checkbox checking study to back a pre decided policy ?
There was a control group, according to the site of Stanway school. However the whole thing is very much a TV show, featuring a Big Brother presenter, the bassist from Busted, and a TV doctor who hopes it "kick-starts a national conversation about which aspects of technology use can HELP our children and which aspects are in fact HARMING them." No preconceived ideas there at all, right? But I can't find a paper, with details of the experiment, such as how participants were selected and how they were motivated.
The thought occurs that the participants were being goodie-goodies, pandering to adult concerns, and saying the right things such as "yes I feel much less anxious, also I want to pick litter, save some endangered snails, eat vegetables and be virtuous in every way because all the things adults say are so right, look how responsible I am, praise me".
I guess a better test might be an involuntary one, like a solar storm that knocks the phone network out.
I couldn't find any mention of it, either on the Stanway site nor the York University which was the posted article.
Also the page on your link feels incredibly short, is there something that's not properly loading for me ? (at the same time I have a "2 minutes" reading time estimate on the header, so it can't be that long ?)
That's all I get:
> SWIPED: The School That Banned Smartphones is a landmark two-part documentary series, produced by BOLDPRINT Studios, which tackles the timely issue of the impact of smartphones on children’s behaviour.
Through a groundbreaking social experiment that challenges a group of teenagers to give up their smartphones for 21 days, SWIPED is exploring the impact of technology on mental health, social skills, and academic performance.
In a world increasingly dominated by screens, SWIPED dives into the heart of a bold experiment at The Stanway School. Led by celebrity couple Matt and Emma Willis, a group of Year 8 students are forced to confront the reality of life without their constant companions: smartphones.
For three weeks, these young participants willingly surrendered their devices, stepping into a digital detox. As they navigated this unfamiliar territory, cameras captured their evolving experiences, revealing surprising insights into the profound influence of technology on their lives.
Guided by experts from the University of York, the documentary delves into the science behind smartphone addiction, examining how these devices impact sleep patterns, attention spans, and social interactions. Through a series of tests and challenges, the students’ mental and emotional states are meticulously monitored, shedding light on the potential benefits of a technology-free existence.
SWIPED is more than just a documentary; it’s an invitation to rethink our relationship with technology and prioritise our mental, emotional, and social well-being.
And yet no control group. No report on what happened after the 3 weeks ( it should all go back to the similar levels once the ban is lifted, right ? Did it ?)
Not all studies can be perfect, but it feels almost intentional to go these lengths and omit such critical parts. Was this just some checkbox checking study to back a pre decided policy ?