HOW WE CITE
Fear-forward. Evidence-bound.
This campaign is fear-forward. It must also be trustworthy. Every entry in the library is summarized with association language, cited to its origin, snapshot-archived against link rot, and reviewed on a schedule — never phrased as single-cause proof.
This is an advocacy library. We collect the evidence of harm — because the attention economy has a trillion dollars to tell the other side of the story, and children have us.
Hard questions (answered, not avoided)
"Isn't this evidence just correlational?"
Much of it is — and we label it that way on every entry. But the evidence base is broader than correlations: prospective cohort studies that follow the same children over years, dose-response patterns, natural experiments, and the testimony of internal platform documents surfaced in litigation. When associations this consistent appear across dozens of countries, waiting for perfect proof is a decision with consequences too. We cite; you decide.
"Don't some researchers say the effects are small?"
Some published analyses report small average effects across all children and all screen use — averages that mix a child video-calling grandma with a child scrolling at 2am. Our focus is not the average child; it is passive, compulsive, and harmful use patterns, where the reported associations are consistently stronger. Every claim we make is phrased as association and cited so you can weigh it yourself.
"Isn't this a moral panic, like TV or video games?"
Previous media never traveled in a child's pocket, measured their attention in milliseconds, or optimized itself overnight against their weaknesses. And unlike past panics, today's concern is shared by the U.S. Surgeon General, the WHO, dozens of state attorneys general, and parliaments on five continents. We document that record here — you can read every source.
We are not neutral. We are honest. Those are different things — and this library is built on both.
Words we use
associated withlinked towarning signsrisk factorsmay increase riskproblematic screen useconsumption without creation
Claims we never make
"Screens cause suicide""All screen time is addiction""Brain damage" / "dopamine hijack" as science"TechKids treats addiction or mental illness"Unverified reach numbers
[1] CDC, Preventing Chronic Disease: Associations Between Screen Time Use and Health Outcomes Among US Teenagers (NHIS-Teen, July 2021–December 2023). https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2025/24_0537.htm
[2] CDC/NCHS Data Brief No. 513: Daily Screen Time Among Teenagers: United States, July 2021–December 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db513.htm
[3] HHS, Office of the Surgeon General: The Harms of Screen Use (reviewed May 2026). https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/screen-use-harms/index.html
[4] Office of the Surgeon General: U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on the Harms of Screen Use, 2026. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK623294/
[5] CDC MMWR: Frequent Social Media Use and Experiences with Bullying Victimization, Persistent Feelings of Sadness or Hopelessness, and Suicide Risk — YRBS 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/su/su7304a3.htm
[6] Preventive Medicine: Screen time and suicidal behaviors among U.S. children 9–11 — prospective cohort study, 2023. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743523000324
[7] Psychiatry Research: Screen-based activities and risk of self-harm and suicidal behaviors among young people — systematic review and meta-analysis, 2024. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178124002762
[8] Pew Research Center: Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/12/09/teens-social-media-and-ai-chatbots-2025/
[9] Pew Research Center: How Teens Use and View AI, February 2026. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/02/24/how-teens-use-and-view-ai/
[10] NCES/IES: More than Half of Public School Leaders Say Cell Phones Hurt Academic Performance, February 2025. https://nces.ed.gov/learn/press-release/more-half-public-school-leaders-say-cell-phones-hurt-academic-performance
[11] Afterschool Alliance: America After 3PM — unmet demand for afterschool programs among middle school youth reaches an all-time high, December 2025. https://www.afterschoolalliance.org/AfterschoolSnack/America-After-3PM-finds-that-unmet-demand-for-afterschool_12-16-2025.cfm
[12] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment in STEM occupations (STEM growth 8.1% 2024–34 vs 2.7% non-STEM; median wage $103,580 vs $48,000). https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/stem-employment.htm
[13] TechKids Foundation public description, LinkedIn company profile, accessed July 2026. https://www.linkedin.com/company/techkidsfoundation
UPDATES LOG: STATISTICS REVIEWED ANNUALLY · LAST REVIEW JULY 2026 · "RESEARCH SAYS" IS ALWAYS SEPARATED FROM "TECHKIDS BELIEVES"