Latest news with #smartphoneuse
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Emotional Peter Andre reveals strict rule for Princess and Junior saying they ‘kicked off for two days' about it
PETER Andre has revealed a strict house rule for his children Princess and Junior - saying they "kicked off for two days" about it. The singer-songwriter, 52, spoke exclusively to The Sun at the Parliamentary screening of Fabio D'Andrea's short film, Another Way, which warns of dangers of teen smartphone use. 11 11 During the Wednesday interview, he opened up about how he keeps his kids safe on social media in an age where views and likes are at the forefront. The TV personality, who's dad to Junior, 20, Princess, 18, Amelia, 11, Theo, eight, and 15-month-old Arabella, said he's banned his kids from using their mobile phones at the dinner table. He admitted this proved challenging, especially with Junior and Princess boasting a combined 1.3million Instagram followers. He told us: "It's really interesting about my oldest two having been quite popular on social media. And I remember that when social media first started, we had no clue. "It just looked like a bit of fun. It was again, that kind of, that nice little imagery of this really fun thing, being on your phone and you could play games and you could do all this "And it lures you in. And now, you know, both my kids' jobs, it's about your interactions. It's about your followers. It's about brands." Peter explained that he's implemented certain boundaries in his home to ensure his children can enjoy family time screen-free. "They want to talk to you about seeing how much interaction you have. So we're in this real pickle now. And of course we didn't know that at the time," the singer continued. "And I say to my daughter, we have a rule at home anyway, "When we sit at the table for dinner, there's no phones, there's no TVs. Peter Andre opens up on bullying and racism he's suffered after being forced to delete his 'racist' Jamaican gangster movie trailer "At first they rolled their eyes, they kicked off. That lasted all of two days. They never said anything since. "So I think there are things we can do, even little things. that'll just, once you put it in place, they'll follow it. You know, you put a speed limit, everyone kicks off about it, but eventually they do it." Lord John Nash and Joe Powell MP hosted the screening of award-winning composer, pianist and director Fabio's musical masterpiece, which stars Peter. The event aimed to raise awareness of the dangers of teenage smartphone use, by illustrating the devastating impact of bullying and youth suicide. In the film, Peter portrays Jack, the devastated father of a teenage boy, Josh, who takes his own life after being bullied at school. The harrowing opening scenes see his son in the family bathroom, with blood covering his face and body. Peter arrives home and is immediately called upstairs where he sees the heartbreaking incident unfold, with his wife Tash cuddling their son in her arms. He grabs hold of his child and starts sobbing before being seen in another room with tears in his eyes. Later scenes indicate Josh passed away. Following the presentation, which also saw actress Sophie Winkleman and Reform UK Deputy Leader, Richard Tice, in attendance, Peter discussed how he struggles to keep up with the changing world of social media. He said: "I do feel very out of depth on how to protect these kids from their phones because I know how trapped I am in the usage of phones and how I always used to use the example, you can't sit there having a cigarette telling your kid never to smoke. And I remember one of my friends used to say, 'Dad said if he ever catches me with a cigarette, he'll kill me.' And his dad was a chain smoker! And I thought, 'But how can you not?'" The pop star admitted change comes from individuals making a collective decision and a conscious effort to reduce the use of social media. But he insisted bigger change must come in Parliament. 11 11 11 Peter continued: "You're seeing it. And then I find myself in that situation. I'm expecting my kids to be off social media and to be, and I'm doing it. So I'm now trying to make a conscious effort. "And I think that it's about this balance. It's really difficult as a parent to do it. And I think you can't do it on your own. We need the help." The actor, who is married to GP Emily Andre, added: "My wife's a strong, strong part of saying to me, hun, why don't we just put our phones down? And I'm like, you're absolutely right. So that's why we need help. That's why we can't just say, oh, just, you know, just ask, just tell your kids. "You can't have a phone or just tell your kids, it's not that easy. We need backup. We need the government help. We need the schools' help. "We need everybody's help collectively so that the kids go, well, this must be bad because no one's letting us use it. Do you know what I mean?" Fabio is now hopeful that an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill will be made, banning social media before the age of 16. He said: "I'm really confident we're gonna see change. It's amazing to have the MP Joe Powell here from Labour and Lord Nash from the Conservatives. It's all sides coming together. "So there's something happening and there's a movement bubbling in this country. People wanna see change." Fabio added: "As a composer in the 21st century, I think it's really important to address social issues in my work, because that's what composers in the past used to do. Keeping kids safe online Charities including the NSPCC have provided guidance about online child safety. Their website explains: "Talking regularly with your child can help keep them safe online. "Making it part of daily conversation, like you would about their day at school, will help your child feel relaxed." You can find more advice from the NSPCC on their website. The NSPCC recommends that children should have multiple people they can confide in, for example: An adult family member A teacher Calling Childline on 0800 1111 "So I really wanted to tackle the issue of smartphones and how it affects the younger generation, because I think we're dealing with a first generation who's grown up having to navigate how they use social media, how they use their smartphones. "And we don't really know the full effects of what's happening right now on the younger generation. So I thought it was really important to address this in the film." Fabio has released a series of short films highlighting key social issues. He's collaborated with a number of famous faces, with Love Should Not Hurt featuring Spice Girls ' Mel B. Actor Russell Tovey also stars in Something Left to Love, which raises awareness of mental health. Watch Fabio D'Andrea's Another Way here. 11 11 11
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Thousands of parents support under-14 phone ban
Thousands of parents across Kent have agreed to ban their children from social media until they turn 16 years old. Six primary schools and more than 5,000 parents or caregivers in the county have signed up to national initiative Parent Pact, run by charity Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC). The pact promises to delay smartphone use in teens until Year 9 and access to social media until two years later. SFC regional leader Felicity Winkles said: "This movement is gathering extraordinary momentum here in Kent." "Each new pact strengthens the community and makes it easier for the next family to say no to early smartphone use," she added. Grassroots group SFC was set up in 2024 and aims to eliminate the peer pressure around smartphone and social media use. Sevenoaks School and Amherst Primary School in Sevenoaks, St James Primary School in Royal Tunbridge Wells, John Wallis Academy in Ashford, Cheriton Primary School in Folkestone and Hextable Primary School in Swanley have so far signed up for their students to honour the campaign. MP for Sevenoaks, Swanley and Dartford Laura Trott will host an SFC event on 3 July to discuss practical ways schools and communities can support healthy tech habits in children. The event starts at 18:30 BST and takes place at The Space Performing Arts Centre in Sevenoaks. Meanwhile, a play written from young people's experiences with smartphone addiction and online behaviour is set to tour schools in Kent. Starting on Monday at The Whitstable School, Generation FOMO is written from interviews with teens on problematic behaviour on social media. Artistic director at the University of Kent's Portrait Theatre Isabelle Defaut spoke to BBC Kent's Dominic King about the project in October. She interviewed friends' children anonymously to use verbatim in the show - with topics ranging from fear of missing out (FOMO) due to seeing social media to inappropriate content online. She said: "Many of us who are parents are super-aware and frightened of how this affects our children." Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. 'Boys formed Andrew Tate club in school' - teacher Parents get forum to air smartphone access concerns Mum begins anti-smartphone campaign by mistake Smartphone Free Childhood University of Kent
BBC News
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Thousands of Kent parents pledge to delay access to social media
Thousands of parents across Kent have agreed to ban their children from social media until they turn 16 years old. Six primary schools and more than 5,000 parents or caregivers in the county have signed up to national initiative Parent Pact, run by charity Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC). The pact promises to delay smartphone use in teens until Year 9 and access to social media until two years later. SFC regional leader Felicity Winkles said: "This movement is gathering extraordinary momentum here in Kent." "Each new pact strengthens the community and makes it easier for the next family to say no to early smartphone use," she group SFC was set up in 2024 and aims to eliminate the peer pressure around smartphone and social media use. Sevenoaks School and Amherst Primary School in Sevenoaks, St James Primary School in Royal Tunbridge Wells, John Wallis Academy in Ashford, Cheriton Primary School in Folkestone and Hextable Primary School in Swanley have so far signed up for their students to honour the campaign. MP for Sevenoaks, Swanley and Dartford Laura Trott will host an SFC event on 3 July to discuss practical ways schools and communities can support healthy tech habits in children. The event starts at 18:30 BST and takes place at The Space Performing Arts Centre in Sevenoaks. 'Parents are frightened' Meanwhile, a play written from young people's experiences with smartphone addiction and online behaviour is set to tour schools in Kent. Starting on Monday at The Whitstable School, Generation FOMO is written from interviews with teens on problematic behaviour on social director at the University of Kent's Portrait Theatre Isabelle Defaut spoke to BBC Kent's Dominic King about the project in interviewed friends' children anonymously to use verbatim in the show - with topics ranging from fear of missing out (FOMO) due to seeing social media to inappropriate content said: "Many of us who are parents are super-aware and frightened of how this affects our children."
CTV News
29-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
CTV National News: Landlines making a comeback, as parents push back on smartphone use
CTV National News: Landlines making a comeback, as parents push back on smartphone use With growing concerns over smartphone impacts on children, CTV's Heather Wright reports on why some families are turning back to landlines for balance.
Khaleej Times
23-06-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Do you have 'WhatsAppitis'? Doctors warn of phone-linked hand pain, injuries
Doctors in the UAE are raising concerns that the rising ownership and frequent use of mobile phones have been linked to an increase in hand and wrist pain even among children, due to its overuse, a condition known as 'WhatsAppitis.' First identified in The Lancet in 2014, 'WhatsAppitis' has since come to describe a broader range of repetitive strain injuries associated with mobile device usage. As this condition becomes more common, medical experts warn that extended phone use can aggravate arthritis in different parts of the thumb, causing swelling, tenderness, decreased strength, and pain that may last for hours after hand use. A study titled 'An Epidemiological Study of Cell Phone-Related Injuries of the Hand and Wrist,' published by the National Library of Medicine, supports these findings. Dr Kiran Sasi, specialist hand surgeon at Prime Hospital said, ' Excessive use of smartphones is increasingly associated with a rise in hand and wrist issues, including carpal tunnel syndrome, thumb tendonitis, and a condition now known as 'WhatsAppitis', caused by prolonged messaging and scrolling.' 'Scientific studies from various regions — including university-based research in Saudi Arabia and Spain — report that between 30 per cent and 56 per cent of frequent smartphone users experience pain or discomfort in the hands, wrists, or thumbs. Imaging studies have shown nerve swelling in heavy users, while others have found reduced grip strength and signs of De Quervain's tenosynovitis, a painful condition affecting the thumb tendons.' Risk particularly high among younger individuals Healthcare professionals explained the risk appears to increase notably with more than five to six hours of use per day, 'particularly among younger individuals and those using larger or heavier devices. One study also found a strong link between high smartphone usage and reported pain among students identified as high-risk for smartphone addiction,' added Dr Sasi. Those with pre-existing joint or tendon issues — such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or even mild hypermobility — may be more vulnerable to developing palm or wrist pain from frequent phone handling. Office workers and students are particularly at risk because they already spend long hours typing and using screens, adding to the cumulative stress on their hands. Dr Khaled Alawany, consultant orthopaedic surgeon and visiting physician at several hospitals in Dubai also echoed similar sentiments. He said, 'In clinical practice, I've observed a growing number of young adults and even teenagers presenting with symptoms resembling overuse injuries seen previously only in manual labourers. This shows how digital habits are shifting the pattern of musculoskeletal strain.' To reduce strain, it is advised to limit screen time, switch hands regularly, and use supportive accessories such as phone grips or stands. Taking frequent breaks and avoiding prolonged one-handed use may also help prevent discomfort. Alawany added, 'I recommend alternating hands, using voice-to-text when possible, and integrating ergonomic tools like grips or pop sockets to reduce the strain. Most importantly, building awareness around tech posture and encouraging short 'hand breaks' during phone usage can make a significant difference over time.' Dr Tarek Jawad, orthopaedic surgery consultant at Fakeeh University Hospital Dubai, said, 'If people experience thumb or wrist pain, they must reduce scrolling time. Using anti-inflammatory can have quick results. Regular breaks and stretching of the neck and wrist can help in both situations. Pain medications and physiotherapy have been shown to be effective in both cases as well.'
