About Phone Free New York

From Founder Raj Goyle

 

Digital technology has transformed every facet of American life. Smartphones, laptops, and extraordinary communications technologies have created social connections, supercharged productivity, and dramatically grown the American economy.
 

However, there is a spreading awareness that for all of the benefits digital technology brings, there are serious negative consequences — especially for our kids. While teen mental health has been on the decline since the widespread adoption of social media, the evidence shows that, since the pandemic, social media use has soared while our kids’ well-being has collapsed. As many researchers, most famously Jonathan Haidt, have made clear, there is strong evidence that social media and smartphones pose a significant danger to our kids.

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In New York, we have principled leadership pushing for schools to take action to protect our kids' health and safeguard their freedom to receive education without distraction.

 

As of March 2025, at least nine states have enacted measures banning or restricting students' use of cell phones in schools. These states are Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia. The policies vary across states, ranging from outright bans to restrictions on usage during instructional time. Additionally, several other states are considering or implementing similar measures, including Arkansas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Alabama and Maryland.

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This is rapidly becoming a national, bipartisan movement. Parents and legislators of all political persuasions are realizing that excessive screen time is deeply detrimental to children’s well-being, in terms of their mental health, social development, and education.