FOMO — or “fear of missing out” — is a phrase kids tend to use about social activities. They worry about missing the party their parents wouldn’t let them attend, the dance they weren’t invited to or the sports game they had to sit out on because of an injury.
In the age of social media, in which some kids post almost everything they do in real time, FOMO becomes harder to avoid. And studies show FOMO and smartphone addiction go hand-in-hand — the more kids fear missing out, the more likely they are to be addicted to their phones.
But FOMO’s impact goes beyond social anxiety. In classrooms, phones disrupt learning environments, decrease academic performance and fuel bullying and social isolation. The statistics are alarming — teens receive an average of 237 notifications on their smartphone daily, and students lose focus on school content after just 10 to 15 minutes with their phones present. More than 1 in 3 teens admit to using their cellphone to cheat, with 97% of students with phones using them during school hours. Teachers are left to police their classrooms, with 72% of U.S. high school teachers reporting cell phone distraction as a major issue. Beyond academic outcomes, student reports of loneliness at school have doubled since 2012, correlated with the rise of smartphone use.
But when the topic of limiting phones in schools is raised, it seems like the “fear” in FOMO is driving the discourse.
One major fear raised by many parents on this topic is that of safety and the ability to communicate with their children not only in everyday situations, but also in worst-case scenarios. School shootings and other threats have become a too-frequent occurrence unique to our generation, and we understand the need for open lines of communications in these emergency situations.
The fear is valid. It’s one I share as a parent. If I can’t physically protect my children or be at the school to comfort them, then their phone serves as our lifeline to connection.
But it’s possible to have the comfort of communication in emergencies alongside safer, better learning environments. This is where the breakdown often occurs in the debate about this issue, and we at The Policy Project want to be clear — we don’t want to take that connection away. From the beginning, the proposed bill “Devices in Public Schools” has required students be able to access phones in the case of imminent threat and other emergencies.
Removing phones from classrooms — and even the entire school day — has been connected to a host of positive outcomes, reported in schools and districts that have already implemented these policies. Fewer distractions and better focus on schoolwork leads to improved academic outcomes. Classrooms become places for students to not only learn, but to have face-to-face interactions with their peers again — something many students are missing. For instance, one student at Skyline High School in Granite School District, which has instituted a no-phones policy, reported making friends with fellow students more easily because they’re finally “meeting” for the first time, outside of the screens they’re usually focused on. We heard that student mental health also improves, with reduced reports of bullying and behavioral issues.
We’re also seeing some unexpected benefits of limiting phones at schools: Kids say they are discovering or rediscovering the activities they were missing out on when inundated with screen time. Schools with phone policies tell us they’re seeing boosts in extracurricular involvement and even library book check-outs. Things that make up the quality of a life. This is the FOMO we should be focused on: fear of missing out on real friendships, on engaging learning experiences and on the simple joys of childhood.
Michelle Love-Day is a board member of The Policy Project, an educator of 23 years, PTA mother to five children and active member in our Utah community.
Michelle Love-Day is a board member of The Policy Project, an educator of 23 years, PTA mother to five children and active member in our Utah community.
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