Smartphone Nation: Raising Digital Citizens In A Screen-Obsessed World

Just in time for back-to-school season, Canadian-born cultural expert Dr. Kaitlyn Regehr is helping families rethink their relationship with screens. Her new book, Smartphone Nation, is a refreshingly candid guide to navigating smartphone use in everyday life. Far from the usual doom-and-gloom, Dr. Regehr offers science-backed insights and practical strategies for parents who want to raise healthier, more mindful digital citizens—without pretending phones are going anywhere. We caught up with her to talk about the impact of screens, the power of awareness, and how families can take back control in the age of constant connection. —Noa Nichol

You describe smartphones as both a lifeline and a liability—what moment or realization compelled you to write this book now, and why do you think it’s especially urgent for parents and kids?

There is an urgent need for a more nuanced approach to digital consumption—especially for parents and children—because screen time guidelines offered to parents have traditionally focused on quantity, not quality. We’ve seen a surge in concern over the harms of digital media use among young people, yet still the guidance used by most: “screentime” (controlling the dosage of screen use to 1-2 hours a day) is relatively outdated, because this guidance is primarily concerned with physical health and not mental well-being. As a parent, that gap felt deeply problematic. I felt we needed something both tangible and practical, which led me to create the ‘Digital Nutrition Model,’ which I discuss in my book Smartphone Nation. The model works like a cone, illustrating how digital use can gradually slide from healthy to unhealthy. Ultimately, using our smartphones safely requires intentionality and awareness in managing digital consumption.

We often hear that screen time is “bad,” but you argue the issue is more nuanced. What are some of the biggest misconceptions about digital consumption today—and who benefits from those myths?

Conversations around screen time often feel polarized—it’s painted as either entirely ‘good’ or entirely ‘bad.’ The reality is it is much more complex. Young people, in particular, face a real contradiction: our devices are built to shift us seamlessly from productive use to distraction. One moment you’re doing your homework, and the next you’re pulled into social media or texts. That’s why guidance needs to be more balanced and context-aware, and why we need to be intentional and mindful about how we use our phones—it’s not black and white, especially when everything happens on the same device.

In what ways are smartphones and social media shaping the identities and self-worth of children and teens—and how early does this impact really begin?

Teaching healthy digital habits from an early age is essential, because what we watch can  shape what we think and believe. The content we consume can have a powerful influence on our sense of self, which is why it’s so important to take greater ownership of our digital choices. That’s why modeling intentional, balanced use as parents is key to raising digitally responsible kids

You talk about ‘digital hygiene’ in the book. How can families begin to implement healthy screen boundaries without making smartphones the enemy?

Technology is not going anywhere—so the real challenge is teaching our children how to use it safely and healthily . One of the most powerful ways to do this is by modeling mindful tech habits ourselves: setting physical boundaries around usage and having intentional conversations as a family. For kids who are already on social media, encourage active, thoughtful engagement. This not only builds critical thinking but also helps counteract the siloed effect of hyper-personalized feeds. At the same time, parents need to be mindful of their own digital behaviour, particularly when it comes to ‘Sharenting’—sharing children’s information or images online. If you’re creating a digital presence for your child, it’s essential to do so with consent, care, and awareness.

Your book challenges the narrative of “just unplug.” Why is that advice not only outdated, but potentially damaging in how we teach digital literacy to our kids?

The idea of simply ‘unplugging’ isn’t always possible. More importantly, this idea doesn’t equip young people to become aware, engaged digital citizens. Our responsibility is to help them develop the skills to use technology with intention, so they don’t fall victim to the more manipulative aspects of the online world. Creating responsible digital citizens recognizes that technology is here to stay while ensuring that we teach safe usage.

How are tech companies designing apps to deliberately hook users—especially younger ones—and what can parents do to fight back against that manipulation?

Algorithms are built to know us and point out our vulnerabilities – they find the problem and serve up ‘solutions’—often before we even realize it. Their power lies in how quickly and subtly they work, almost beneath our awareness. But, there is a way to fight back with what I call ‘Gaming Your Algorithm.’ ‘Gaming Your Algorithm’ refers to quickly moving past things that don’t make you feel good, like diet culture talk, for example. If you were sitting at the dinner table, you would never just eat every single thing thrown at you – you would take what you want and leave what you don’t like. The same principle applies to social media usage – we have to work to consume what fills our cup and not what makes us anxious and upset.

Can you share a moment from your research that left you shocked—or even unsettled—about the current state of smartphone addiction in families?

A moment that left me very shocked and rather unsettled is a story that I detail in my book. I was in a research school abroad and there was a Ukrainian refugee child there. She told a story about her city being bombed during the war, so she was, of course, anxious and distressed. Recognizing her emotional state, TikTok began serving her self-harm content. This was extremely distressing to hear and was just one example of the problematic nature of passive usage on social media. The reality is, we can all have an off day, and algorithms are quick to pick up on those vulnerable moments. That’s why it’s so important to make active choices about what we engage with and to remember that the content social platforms push at us is not always what’s healthiest—or best—for us. Simply recognizing this truth is the first step toward more mindful digital use.

You discuss the emotional toll of constant connectivity. How do you recommend parents model mindful usage without hypocrisy, especially when many of us are just as hooked?

We all need to model conscious technology use—especially around children, who often mirror our behaviours. This can mean setting physical boundaries, like leaving your phone in another room, or being intentional about when you use it (i.e., no phones at the dinner table). It also involves opening up conversations with your partner or kids about what you’re consuming—perhaps sharing a piece of content you came across and discussing it together. This practice is what I refer to in my book as the ‘Walk Through Method’—a way of making digital use more visible, intentional, and collaborative

From doomscrolling to FOMO to digital self-comparison, what is one behavior you wish every parent understood more deeply—and acted on?

‘Sharenting’ is definitely one behaviour I wish more parents understood. Young people, especially babies and toddlers, cannot provide consent for what their parents post online. Ultimately, each parent can decide what they think is best for them and their children, but I encourage parents to consider the implications of posting about their children without consent. This is especially critical for family influencers who share many aspects of their children’s lives online, in that it can be unsafe, and there are no child labour laws for child influencers.

If a parent could only make one change today after reading your book, what would you tell them to start with—and why?

I think if parents could make just one change, it would be to stay actively engaged with the content they consume online. Smartphones and their algorithms are designed to keep us scrolling mindlessly, using sophisticated tactics to manipulate our attention. Drawing on strategies from my book, Smartphone Nation—like the ‘Digital Nutrition Model,’ ‘Gaming the Algorithm,’ and the ‘Walk Through Method’—parents can move from passive consumption to intentional action, equipping themselves to guide their children more thoughtfully in the digital world.