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Are phones making kids dumber? New data suggests the answer is yes

NPR

Published January 8, 2024 at 6:52 AM CST

A new study shows a sharp decline around 2012, right when smartphones and social media came to dominate so much of teenage life. (Getty Images)

Test scores have been falling for years across many developed nations, including the U.S., and new data suggests screen time might be to blame.

The Program for International Student Assessment evaluates math, reading and science skills in 15-year-olds in almost 80 countries every three years. The results show a sharp decline around 2012, right when smartphones and social media came to dominate so much of teenage life.

Here & Now‘s Deepa Fernandes discusses the evidence with The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.