Classrooms across the country are facing a pandemic of distraction—incessant buzzing, pinging and chiming competing with teachers and classmates for student attention. The culprit? Smartphones and the apps on them, especially social media.
As the CEO of Pinterest and a tech executive who has spent decades in the industry, I’m acutely aware of how algorithms are often designed to keep users’ eyes glued to their screens. As a parent, I see how the apps can be more addictive than additive, negatively impacting students’ ability to stay focused in and out of school. 
Smartphone use has a time and place. It’s not in the classroom.
Study after study have shown the harmful effects of too much screen time. Children and teens who spend hours on their phones scrolling through social media are more anxious, depressed, and distracted.
Yet, many social media algorithms continue to be designed to maximize view time, with little regard to young people. Through a constant barrage of notifications that stoke a fear of missing out, these apps encourage students to crave digital stimulation. This short-sighted approach has real consequences for students and their learning. In fact, a 2023 study from the University of Delaware and Florida State University found that middle schoolers’ academic achievement decreased as their social media use increased.
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Teachers and parents can’t compete with the constant draw of smartphones. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Across the country, state and local governments are fighting back with over 20 states passing or considering legislation that restricts school phone use. And Americans agree this is the right approach. Sixty-eight percent of U.S. adults support a ban on middle and high school students using cellphones during class. Even 45% of Gen Z say they “would not want their child to have a smartphone before reaching high school age.”
As more schools adopt phone-free policies, there is growing evidence to suggest that they are improving student learning and success. A new pilot program in Arkansas saw more students engaged in the classroom, miss fewer assignments, and have less behavioral problems. When The New York Times asked students themselves about this issue, “many recognized the need for some boundaries around phone use, with several supporting an outright ban.”
But it’s unfair for state governments, local school boards, and teachers to shoulder the responsibility on their own. With the pull of phone screens, DMs, and social media so strong, tech companies need to be part of the solution.
It starts with backing phone-free school legislation. Pinterest, for example, is endorsing HB 1481 in Texas, which would implement school phone policies to foster distraction-free learning environments. We’ve also reached out to the governors of California, Florida, New York, and Virginia, offering our support as they implement their phone-free school initiatives.
At the same time, tech companies need to stop optimizing for constant attention. Rather than focusing solely on increasing view time through addictive features, we must help young people be more intentional with how they spend their time online. That’s why Pinterest is testing a new prompt across the U.S. and Canada encouraging students to close the Pinterest app during school hours and turn off device notifications, so they can focus on learning.
I believe we can take advantage of all that technology has to offer our students while minimizing the harms. We have the chance to empower a bright new generation of young people to become responsible digital citizens who think critically about what they consume online, and when they consume it.
It’s time for tech companies to prioritize learning and youth wellbeing. And it starts with phone-free schools.
