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Are Cell Phones Dangerous?

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Published: Jan 25, 2024

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Distracting drivers, health problems, barriers to social connection, works cited.

Cousin, M. & Siegrist, M. (2010). Cell Phones and Health Concerns: Impact of Knowledge and V oluntary Precautionary Recommendations. Risk Analysis, 31(2), 301-311.
Cheng, (2014). DO CELL PHONE BANS CHANGE DRIVER BEHA VIOR?. Economic Inquiry, 53(3), 1420-1436.
Morse, S. (2008). Who has Durkheim's number? Cell phones and social interaction. Psyccritiques, 53(47).

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Are Cell Phones Dangerous? Exploring the Argumentative Landscape

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Cell Phones and Cancer Risk

Why has there been concern that cell phones may cause cancer.

There are two main reasons why people are concerned that cell (or mobile) phones might have the potential to cause certain types of cancer or other health problems: Cell phones emit radiation (in the form of radiofrequency radiation , or radio waves ), and cell phone use is widespread. Even a small increase in cancer risk from cell phones would be of concern given how many people use them.

Brain and central nervous system cancers have been of particular concern because hand-held phones are used close to the head and because ionizing radiation—a higher energy form of radiation than what cell phones emit—has been found to cause some brain cancers. Many different kinds of studies have been carried out to try to investigate whether cell phone use is dangerous to human health.

However, the evidence to date suggests that cell phone use does not cause brain or other kinds of cancer in humans.

Is the radiation from cell phones harmful?

Cell phones emit radiation in the radiofrequency region of the electromagnetic spectrum . Second-, third-, and fourth-generation cell phones (2G, 3G, 4G) emit radiofrequency in the frequency range of 0.7–2.7 GHz. Fifth-generation (5G) cell phones are anticipated to use the frequency spectrum up to 80 GHz.

These frequencies all fall in the nonionizing range of the spectrum, which is low frequency and low energy. The energy is too low to damage DNA. By contrast, ionizing radiation , which includes x-rays , radon , and cosmic rays, is high frequency and high energy. Energy from ionizing radiation can damage DNA. DNA damage can cause changes to genes that may increase the risk of cancer.

The NCI fact sheet Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer lists sources of radiofrequency radiation . More information about ionizing radiation can be found on the Radiation page.

The human body does absorb energy from devices that emit radiofrequency radiation. The only consistently recognized biological effect of radiofrequency radiation absorption in humans that the general public might encounter is heating to the area of the body where a cell phone is held (e.g., the ear and head). However, that heating is not sufficient to measurably increase core body temperature. There are no other clearly established dangerous health effects on the human body from radiofrequency radiation.

Has the incidence of brain and central nervous system cancers changed during the time cell phone use increased?

No. Investigators have studied whether the incidence of brain or other central nervous system cancers (that is, the number of new cases of these cancers diagnosed each year) has changed during the time that cell phone use increased dramatically. These studies found:

stable incidence rates for adult gliomas in the United States ( 1 ), Nordic countries ( 2 ) and Australia ( 3 ) during the past several decades
stable incidence rates for pediatric brain tumors in the United States during 1993–2013 ( 4 )
stable incidence rates for acoustic neuroma ( 5 ), which are nonmalignant tumors , and meningioma ( 6 ), which are usually nonmalignant, among US adults since 2009

In addition, studies using cancer incidence data have tested different scenarios (simulations) determining whether the incidence trends are in line with various levels of risk as reported in studies of cell phone use and brain tumors between 1979 and 2008 ( 7 , 8 ). These simulations showed that many risk changes reported in case–control studies were not consistent with incidence data, implying that biases and errors in the study may have distorted the findings.

Because these studies examine cancer incidence trends over time in populations rather than comparing risk in people who do and don’t use cell phones, their ability to observe potential small differences in risk among heavy users or susceptible populations is limited. Observational/epidemiologic studies—including case–control and cohort studies (described below)—are designed to measure individual exposure to cell phone radiation and ascertain specific health outcomes.

How is radiofrequency radiation exposure measured in studies of groups of people?

Epidemiologic studies use information from several sources, including questionnaires and data from cell phone service providers, to estimate radiofrequency radiation exposure in groups of people. Direct measurements are not yet possible outside of a laboratory setting. Estimates from studies reported to date take into account the following:

How regularly study participants use cell phones (the number of calls per week or month)
The age and the year when study participants first used a cell phone and the age and the year of last use (allows calculation of the duration of use and time since the start of use)
The average number of cell phone calls per day, week, or month (frequency)
The average length of a typical cell phone call
The total hours of lifetime use, calculated from the length of typical call times, the frequency of use, and the duration of use

What has research shown about the link between cell phone use and cancer risk?

Researchers have carried out several types of population studies to investigate the possibility of a relationship between cell phone use and the risk of tumors, both malignant (cancerous) and nonmalignant (not cancer). Epidemiologic studies (also called observational studies ) are research studies in which investigators observe groups of individuals (populations) and collect information about them but do not try to change anything about the groups.

Two main types of epidemiologic studies— cohort studies and case–control studies —have been used to examine associations between cell phone use and cancer risk. In a case–control study, cell phone use is compared between people who have tumors and people who don’t. In a cohort study, a large group of people who do not have cancer at the beginning of the study is followed over time and tumor development in people who did and didn’t use cell phones is compared. Cohort studies are limited by the fact that they may only be able to look at cell phone subscribers, who are not necessarily the cell phone users.

The tumors that have been investigated in epidemiologic studies include malignant brain tumors, such as gliomas , as well as nonmalignant tumors, such as acoustic neuroma (tumors in the cells of the nerve responsible for hearing that are also known as vestibular schwannomas), meningiomas (usually nonmalignant tumors in the membranes that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord ), parotid gland tumors (tumors in the salivary glands ), skin cancer, and thyroid gland tumors.

Four large epidemiologic studies have examined the possible association between cell phone use and cancer: Interphone, a case–control study, and three cohort studies, the Danish Study, the Million Women Study, and the Cohort Study on Mobile Phones and Health (COSMOS). The findings of these studies are mixed, but overall, they do not show an association between cell phone use and cancer ( 9 – 23 ).

Interphone Case–Control Study

How the study was done: This is the largest case–control study of cell phone use and the risk of head and neck tumors. It was conducted by a consortium of researchers from 13 countries. The data came from questionnaires that were completed by study participants in Europe, Israel, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

What the study showed: Most published analyses from this study have shown no increases overall in brain or other central nervous system cancers (glioma and meningioma) related to higher amounts of cell phone use. One analysis showed a statistically significant , although small, increase in the risk of glioma among study participants who spent the most total time on cell phone calls. However, for a variety of reasons the researchers considered this finding inconclusive ( 11 – 13 ).

An analysis of data from all 13 countries reported a statistically significant association between intracranial distribution of tumors within the brain and self-reported location of the phone ( 14 ). However, the authors of this study noted that it is not possible to draw firm conclusions about cause and effect based on their findings.

An analysis of data from five Northern European countries showed an increased risk of acoustic neuroma in those who had used a cell phone for 10 or more years ( 15 ).

In subsequent analyses of Interphone data, investigators investigated whether tumors were more likely to form in areas of the brain with the highest exposure. One analysis showed no relationship between tumor location and level of radiation ( 16 ). However, another found evidence that glioma and, to a lesser extent, meningioma were more likely to develop where exposure was highest ( 17 ).

Danish Cohort Study

How the study was done: This cohort study linked billing information from more than 358,000 cell phone subscribers with brain tumor incidence data from the Danish Cancer Registry.

What the study showed: No association was observed between cell phone use and the incidence of glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neuroma, even among people who had been cell phone subscribers for 13 or more years ( 18 – 20 ).

Million Women Cohort Study

How the study was done: This prospective cohort study conducted in the United Kingdom used data obtained from questionnaires that were completed by study participants.

What the study showed: Self-reported cell phone use was not associated with an increased risk of glioma, meningioma, or non-central nervous system tumors. Although the original published findings reported an association with an increased risk of acoustic neuroma ( 21 ), it was not observed with additional years of follow-up of the cohort ( 22) .

Cohort Study of Mobile Phones and Health (COSMOS)

How the study was done: This large prospective cohort study conducted in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom used data on health, lifestyle, and current and past cell phone use obtained from a questionnaire completed by participants when they joined the study. That information was supplemented with cancer occurrence data obtained from linkage to national cancer registries and cell phone records obtained from mobile network operators.

What the study showed: Among 264,574 participants with a median follow-up of just over 7 years, the cumulative amount of mobile phone call-time was not associated with the risk of developing glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neuroma ( 23 ). No associations with cancer risk were seen in the heaviest mobile phone users or among among those with the longest history of mobile phone use (15 or more years).

Other Epidemiologic Studies

In addition to these four large studies, other, smaller epidemiologic studies have looked for associations between cell phone use and individual cancers in both adults and children. These include:

Two NCI-sponsored case–control studies, each conducted in multiple US academic medical centers or hospitals between 1994 and 1998 that used data from questionnaires ( 24) or computer-assisted personal interviews ( 25 ). Neither study showed a relationship between cell phone use and the risk of glioma, meningioma, or acoustic neuroma in adults.
The CERENAT study, another case–control study conducted in multiple areas in France from 2004 to 2006 using data collected in face-to-face interviews using standardized questionnaires ( 26 ). This study found no association for either gliomas or meningiomas when comparing adults who were regular cell phone users with non-users. However, the heaviest users had significantly increased risks of both gliomas and meningiomas.
A pooled analysis of two case–control studies conducted in Sweden that reported statistically significant trends of increasing brain cancer risk for the total amount of cell phone use and the years of use among people who began using cell phones before age 20 ( 27 ).
Another case–control study in Sweden, part of the Interphone pooled studies, did not find an increased risk of brain cancer among long-term cell phone users between the ages of 20 and 69 ( 28 ).
The CEFALO study, an international case–control study of children diagnosed with brain cancer between ages 7 and 19, found no relationship between their cell phone use and risk for brain cancer ( 29 ).
The MOBI-Kids study, a large international case–control study of young people ages 10 to 24 years diagnosed with brain tumors, found no evidence of an association between wireless phone use and the risk of brain tumors ( 30 ).
A population-based case–control study conducted in Connecticut found no association between cell phone use and the risk of thyroid cancer ( 31 ).

What are the findings from studies of the human body?

Researchers have carried out several kinds of studies to investigate possible effects of cell phone use on the human body. In 2011, two small studies were published that examined brain glucose metabolism in people after they had used cell phones. The results were inconsistent. One study showed increased glucose metabolism in the region of the brain close to the antenna compared with tissues on the opposite side of the brain ( 32 ); the other study ( 33 ) found reduced glucose metabolism on the side of the brain where the phone was used.

The authors of these studies noted that the results were preliminary and that possible health outcomes from changes in glucose metabolism in humans were unknown. Such inconsistent findings are not uncommon in experimental studies of the physiological effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation in people ( 11 ). Some factors that can contribute to inconsistencies across such studies include assumptions used to estimate doses, failure to consider temperature effects, and investigators not being blinded to exposure status.

Another study investigated blood flow in the brain of people exposed to radiofrequency radiation from cell phones and found no evidence of an effect on blood flow in the brain ( 34 ).

What are the findings from experiments in laboratory animals?

Early studies involving laboratory animals showed no evidence that radiofrequency radiation increased cancer risk or enhanced the cancer-causing effects of known chemical carcinogens ( 35 – 38 ).

Because of inconsistent findings from epidemiologic studies in humans and the lack of clear data from previous experimental studies in animals, in 1999 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nominated radiofrequency radiation exposure associated with cell phone exposures for study in animal models by the US National Toxicology Program (NTP). NTP is an interagency program that coordinates toxicology research and testing across the US Department of Health and Human Services and is headquartered at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of NIH.

The NTP studied radiofrequency radiation (2G and 3G frequencies) in rats and mice ( 39 , 40 ). This large project was conducted in highly specialized labs. The rodents experienced whole-body exposures of 3, 6, or 9 watts per kilogram of body weight for 5 or 7 days per week for 18 hours per day in cycles of 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off. A research overview of the rodent studies , with links to the peer-review summary, is available on the NTP website. The primary outcomes observed were a small number of cancers of Schwann cells in the heart and non-cancerous changes ( hyperplasia ) in the same tissues for male rats, but not female rats, nor in mice overall.

These experimental findings raise new questions because cancers in the heart are extremely rare in humans. Schwann cells of the heart in rodents are similar to the kind of cells in humans that give rise to acoustic neuromas (also known as vestibular schwannomas), which some studies have suggested are increased in people who reported the heaviest use of cell phones. The NTP plans to continue to study radiofrequency exposure in animal models to provide insights into the biological changes that might explain the outcomes observed in their study.

Another animal study, in which rats were exposed 7 days per week for 19 hours per day to radiofrequency radiation at 0.001, 0.03, and 0.1 watts per kilogram of body weight was reported by investigators at the Italian Ramazzini Institute ( 41 ). Among the rats with the highest exposure levels, the researchers noted an increase in heart schwannomas in male rats and nonmalignant Schwann cell growth in the heart in male and female rats. However, key details necessary for interpretation of the results were missing: exposure methods, other standard operating procedures, and nutritional/feeding aspects. The gaps in the report from the study raise questions that have not been resolved.

ICNIRP (an independent nonprofit organization that provides scientific advice and guidance on the health and environmental effects of nonionizing radiation) critically evaluated both studies. It concluded that both followed good laboratory practice, including using more animals than earlier research and exposing the animals to radiofrequency radiation throughout their lifetimes. However, it also identified what it considered major weaknesses in how the studies were conducted and statistically analyzed and concluded that these limitations prevent drawing conclusions about the ability of radiofrequency exposures to cause cancer ( 42 ).

Why are the findings from different studies of cell phone use and cancer risk inconsistent?

A few studies have shown some evidence of statistical association of cell phone use and brain tumor risks in humans, but most studies have found no association. Reasons for these discrepancies include the following:

Recall bias , which can occur when data about prior habits and exposures are collected from study participants using questionnaires administered after diagnosis of a disease in some of the participants. Study participants who have brain tumors, for example, may remember their cell phone use differently from individuals without brain tumors.
Inaccurate reporting , which can happen when people say that something has happened more often or less often than it actually did. For example, people may not remember how much they used cell phones in a given time period.
Morbidity and mortality among study participants who have brain cancer. Gliomas are particularly difficult to study because of their high death rate and the short survival of people who develop these tumors. Patients who survive initial treatment are often impaired, which may affect their responses to questions.
Participation bias , which can happen when people who are diagnosed with brain tumors are more likely than healthy people (known as controls) to enroll in a research study.
Changing technology. Older studies evaluated radiofrequency radiation exposure from analog cell phones. Today, cell phones use digital technology, which operates at a different frequency and a lower power level than analog phones, and cellular technology continues to change ( 43 ).
Exposure assessment limitations. Different studies measure exposure differently, which makes it difficult to compare the results of different studies ( 44 ). Investigations of sources and levels of exposure, particularly in children, are ongoing ( 45 ).
Insufficient follow-up of highly exposed populations. It may take a very long time to develop symptoms after exposure to radiofrequency radiation, and current studies may not yet have followed participants long enough.
Inadequate statistical power and methods to detect very small risks or risks that affect small subgroups of people specifically
Chance as an explanation of apparent effects may not have been considered.

What are other possible health effects from cell phone use?

The most consistent health risk associated with cell phone use is distracted driving and vehicle accidents ( 46 , 47 ). Several other potential health effects have been reported with cell phone use. Neurologic effects are of particular concern in young persons. However, studies of memory, learning, and cognitive function have generally produced inconsistent results ( 48 – 51 ).

What have expert organizations said about the cancer risk from cell phone use?

In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) , a component of the World Health Organization, appointed an expert working group to review all available evidence on the use of cell phones. The working group classified cell phone use as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” based on limited evidence from human studies, limited evidence from studies of radiofrequency radiation and cancer in rodents, and inconsistent evidence from mechanistic studies ( 11 ).

The working group indicated that, although the human studies were susceptible to bias, the findings could not be dismissed as reflecting bias alone, and that a causal interpretation could not be excluded. The working group noted that any interpretation of the evidence should also consider that the observed associations could reflect chance, bias, or confounding variables rather than an underlying causal effect. In addition, the working group stated that the investigation of brain cancer risk associated with cell phone use poses complex research challenges.

The American Cancer Society’s cell phones page states “It is not clear at this time that RF (radiofrequency) waves from cell phones cause dangerous health effects in people, but studies now being done should give a clearer picture of the possible health effects in the future.”

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) states that the weight of the current scientific evidence has not conclusively linked cell phone use with any adverse health problems, but more research is needed.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notes that studies reporting biological changes associated with radiofrequency radiation have failed to be replicated and that the majority of human epidemiologic studies have failed to show a relationship between exposure to radiofrequency radiation from cell phones and health problems. FDA, which originally nominated this exposure for review by the NTP in 1999, issued a statement on the draft NTP reports released in February 2018, saying “based on this current information, we believe the current safety limits for cell phones are acceptable for protecting the public health.” FDA and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) share responsibility for regulating cell phone technologies.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that no scientific evidence definitively answers whether cell phone use causes cancer.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) concludes that currently no scientific evidence establishes a definite link between wireless device use and cancer or other illnesses.

In 2015, the European Commission Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks concluded that, overall, the epidemiologic studies on cell phone radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation exposure do not show an increased risk of brain tumors or of other cancers of the head and neck region ( 9 ). The committee also stated that epidemiologic studies do not indicate increased risk for other malignant diseases, including childhood cancer ( 9 ).

Has radiofrequency radiation from cell phone use been associated with cancer risk in children?

There are theoretical considerations as to why the potential health effects of cell phone use should be investigated separately in children. Their nervous systems are still developing and, therefore, more vulnerable to factors that may cause cancer. Their heads are smaller than those of adults and consequently have a greater proportional exposure to radiation emitted by cell phones. And, children have the potential of accumulating more years of cell phone exposure than adults.

Thus far, the data from studies of children with cancer do not suggest that children are at increased risk of developing cancer from cell phone use. The first published analysis came from a large case–control study called CEFALO, which was conducted in Europe. The study included 352 children who were diagnosed with brain tumors between 2004 and 2008 at the ages of 7 to 19 years. They were matched by age, sex, and geographical region with 646 young people randomly selected from population registries. Researchers did not find an association between cell phone use and brain tumor risk by amount of use or by the location of the tumor ( 29 ).

The largest case–control study among children, a 14-country study known as MOBI-Kids, included 899 young people ages 10 to 24 years who were diagnosed with brain tumors between 2010 and 2015. They were matched by sex, age, and region with 1,910 young people who were undergoing surgery for appendicitis. Researchers found no evidence of an association between wireless phone use and brain tumors in young people ( 30 ).

Which US federal agencies have a role in evaluating the effects of or regulating cell phones?

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), including the National Cancer Institute (NCI), conducts research on cell phone use and the risks of cancer and other diseases.

FDA and FCC share regulatory responsibilities for cell phones. FDA is responsible for testing and evaluating electronic product radiation and providing information for the public about the radiofrequency energy emitted by cell phones. FCC sets limits on the emissions of radiofrequency energy by cell phones and similar wireless products.

Where can I find more information about radiofrequency radiation from my cell phone?

The dose of the energy that people absorb from any source of radiation is estimated using a measure called the specific absorption rate (SAR), which is expressed in watts per kilogram of body weight ( 52 ). The SAR decreases very quickly as the distance to the exposure source increases. For cell phone users who hold their phones next to their head during voice calls, the highest exposure is to the brain, acoustic nerve, salivary gland, and thyroid.

The FCC provides information about the SAR of cell phones produced and marketed within the previous 1 to 2 years. Consumers can access this information using the phone’s FCC ID number, which is usually located on the case of the phone, and the FCC’s ID search form . SARs for older phones can be found by checking the phone settings or by contacting the manufacturer.

What can cell phone users do to reduce their exposure to radiofrequency radiation?

FDA has suggested some steps that concerned cell phone users can take to reduce their exposure to radiofrequency radiation :

Reduce the amount of time spent using your cell phone.
Use speaker mode, head phones, or ear buds to place more distance between your head and the cell phone.
Avoid making calls when the signal is weak as this causes cell phones to boost RF transmission power.
Consider texting rather than talking, but don’t text while you are driving.

Use of wired or wireless headsets reduces the amount of radiofrequency radiation exposure to the head because the phone is not placed against the head ( 53 ). Exposures decline dramatically when cell phones are used hands-free. For example, wireless (Bluetooth) devices (such as headphones and earbuds) use short-range signals that typically transmit radiofrequency waves at power levels 10–400 times lower than cell phones ( 54 ).

Health Research 4 U

Safe To Play

Can Cell Phones Harm Our Health?

You’ve probably heard news stories claiming that “cell phones are dangerous” and others claiming that “cell phones have been proven safe.” It’s hard to know what to believe-especially when we’ve grown so dependent upon these convenient communication devices.

Should We Be Worried?

There have been concerns, from both scientists and the media, that cell phone usage is linked to tumor development. The extensive use of cell phones is a relatively recent phenomenon, and since cancers usually take at least 10-20 years to develop, it will be years before research is likely to conclude whether cell phones cause cancer or not. In addition, the long-term risks of cell phone use may be much higher for children than adults.

International organizations have been researching this issue. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO), brought together scientists, including those with financial ties to cell phone companies, to review all relevant data on radiation from wireless handheld devices such as cell phones. This type of radiation is known as Radio Frequency-Electromagnetic Radiation (RF-EMR), also referred to as microwave radiation. The IARC concluded that the evidence suggests this radiation is “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” and that there wasn’t enough research evidence to conclude that cell phones are dangerous or that they are safe. [1]

This resulted in the IARC creating the Interphone Project, an international effort (that did not include the United States) to investigate the risk of tumors from cell phones. After the 10-year project was finished in February 2012, scientists found that due to biases present in the study, no strong conclusions could be made. [2]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, called for caution in cell phone use because of “the unresolved cancer question” in 2014. However, the CDC removed this statement from their website soon after. [3] Critics assume it was removed because of political pressure from cell phone companies. Currently, the CDC says that more research is needed on this topic since “there is no scientific evidence that provides a definite answer.” [4]

What does Research Tell Us about Cell Phones, Tumors, and Other Health Issues?

In 2007 and 2012, scientists published two different reviews of cell phones and brain tumors, and concluded that studies of individuals using cell phones for more than 10 years “ give a consistent pattern of an increased risk for acoustic neuroma and glioma ,” with the risk being highest for a tumor on the same side of the head that the phone is used. [5,6] Gliomas are the most common cancerous brain tumor, and most gliomas are malignant (and usually fatal). Acoustic neuromas are benign tumors of the acoustic nerve that can cause deafness. These two reviews analyzed the results of 18 studies and 2 studies, respectively. However, a study published in 2013 found that while long-term cell phone use was associated with acoustic neuromas, it did not predict gliomas. [7] In contrast, a study of 1,339 cell phone users, published in 2014, found that the heaviest cell phone users had an increased chance of developing gliomas. These heaviest users, who had a total of over 900 hours of cell phone usage, were found to have spent an average of 54 minutes on the phone per day. [8]

Animal studies contribute to these concerns. A 2015 study in Germany also identified a connection between cell phone radiation and tumor growth in mice. Researchers found that in comparison to a known cancer-causing agent, weak cell phone signals were more likely to promote tumor growth. Although this study was carried out in mice, it implies that cell phone radiation may negatively affect human health more than previously thought and that limits for cell phone radiation need to be lower. [9]

In May 2016, the National Toxicology Program released preliminary results from a two-year study on the impact of cell phone radiation on rats. They found that, for rats exposed to moderate to high levels of cell phone radiation, brain cancer and heart tumors called schwannomas were more likely. Even though only 4% of male rats exposed to radiation developed these tumors, they are so rare that the scientists concluded that cell phone radiation was the cause. This study is relevant to humans because humans can develop similar types of tumors. [10]

Although the results of studies on the effects of cell phones on the human brain are inconsistent, perhaps because cell phone use has increased over time and is rarely measured objectively, most research shows a worrisome link between cell phone use and brain tumors.

Scientists in countries around the world have published their own results on other health problems that appear to be a result of increasing cell phone usage. the following health problems connected to cell phone radiation:

salivary gland tumors [11,12]
dizziness and migraines [13]
less sleep and poor sleep quality [14]
changes in production of specific proteins in human cells [15]
decreased sperm count and quality [16,17,18]
skin irritation, especially on the face (this is a condition known as electrohypersensitivity) [19,20]
behavioral problems and increased chance of cancer tumor development in children. You can read more about this here .

Meanwhile, cell phone companies continue to insist that the evidence shows that their cell phones are safe. Cell phone companies tend to draw conclusions based on the studies they funded themselves, which have always found cell phones are safe. In addition, many of those studies were conducted years ago, when cell phone usage was much lower for the average person than it is today.

Controversies on Cell Phone Research Results

Underlying the controversy about cell phone radiation is the belief by most physicists that cell phone radiation could not possibly cause cancer. Although epidemiological research seems to suggest otherwise, other factors make it difficult to measure the impact of cell phone use because cancer takes a very long time to develop, cell phone technology and frequency of usage has changed dramatically, and any link between cancer and cell phones could possibly be caused by unknown exposures or traits. However, the National Toxicology Program study found for the first time that cell phone radiation could, in fact, damage DNA. [21] Additionally, there is potential for biases and errors in the collection of data in these studies, which could result in inaccurate conclusions. For example, many researchers questioned the Interphone study because they thought that risk was underestimated. Research is needed to determine the true effect of cell phones on the development of different cancers.

Different Types of Studies: How can Researchers Get to the Bottom of This?

There is a consensus among researchers that retrospective studies present problems and that prospective studies are needed. Retrospective studies are ones that look back in time to study or measure risk, such as whether past cell phone use makes a person more likely to develop cancer or other health problems. But people may not remember their past behaviors accurately and researchers have no way to verify the information. Unless they use phone records, retrospective studies are also subject to “recall bias,” which means people with a disease might remember the past differently than people without a disease. In the case of cell phones, people with brain tumors may exaggerate their past cell phone use in an attempt to find an explanation for the inexplicable. An analysis published in 2015 shows that information used for many retrospective studies may not be reliable because numerous brain tumor cases are not reported to the Swedish Cancer Register, the database that has commonly been used to try to disprove any connection between cell phones and tumors. [22]

Prospective studies are ones that follow people over time and monitor the health problems that arise in the different groups during the study period. A prospective study of cell phone users would have to compare the health of infrequent users (controls) to heavy users (cases) but it is becoming increasingly difficult to find people who never use cell phones. In addition, any study started now would take at least 10 years to have useful information about the development of cancer; by that time, millions of people would have been harmed if cell phone radiation is dangerous.

Wireless technologies are proliferating daily, and different countries have different limits on radiation from wireless devices, which is why more and better designed research is urgently needed to determine safe levels of exposure. And yet, as noted above, it is increasingly difficult to design and conduct studies that will answer key questions anytime soon.

Precautions You Can Take

Scientists recognize that most people are not going to stop using cell phones. Since many studies suggest that there may be risks, experts recommend that cell phone users take some precautions:

Limit the number of calls you make.
Limit the length of your calls.
Use hands-free devices (wired cell phone headsets or wireless ones like Bluetooth).
If you are not using a hands-free device, put the cell on “speaker phone” or hold the phone away from your ear.
When speaking on your cell phone, alternate sides.
Avoid carrying your phone in your pocket, on your belt, or anywhere close to your body since cell phones emit radiation even when they are not in use
Limit your cell phone use in rural areas or in any place where reception is poor. More radiation is emitted when you are farther from a cell phone tower.
Text message instead of talking (never while driving!).
Check out how much radiation your phone emits by looking at its SAR (specific absorption rate), which is a measure of the amount of radiation absorbed by your body. When buying a new phone, try to select one with a lower SAR. A list of cell phones with the lowest SARs can be found here . But remember, these SARs are based on a six foot tall, 200 pound man with an 11 pound head, and the levels are higher for smaller people.

The Bottom Line

Although not enough time has passed for research to agree on the exact impact of cell phones on brain tumors and other health risks, the evidence so far suggests that we should be cautious. While hands-free driving laws are resulting in greater use of ear pieces in cars, more and more people are opting not to pay for land lines and are relying exclusively on their cell phone. As a result, some adults and children are holding cell phones to their ears for hours each day.

Should we be concerned? Remember that most published studies evaluated relatively infrequent cell phone usage and that research is inadequate to draw conclusions regarding safety. The health impact of the long-term and frequent use of cell phones that is typical today could be substantially worse. And, if there is a cancer risk, we won’t see the effects of cell phone use on cancer rates for another 10-20 years. That is why it is important that researchers who do not have financial ties to cell phone companies continue long-term studies with more appropriate measures of high, medium, and low cell phone usage. In the meantime, you can play it safe and limit your cell phone use.

Safety Tips for Cellphone Use

All articles are reviewed and approved by Dr. Diana Zuckerman and other senior staff.

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Lerchl, A., Klose, M., Grote, K., et al. (2015). Tumor promotion by exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields below exposure limits for humans. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications , 459(4), Pages 585-590. Retrieved from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006291X15003988
“Report of Partial Findings from the National Toxicology Program Carcinogenesis Studies of Cell Phone Radiofrequency Radiation in Hsd: Sprague Dawley SD rats (Whole Body Exposures).” National Toxicology Program 2016. http://biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2016/05/26/055699.full.pdf
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Are Cell Phones Safe? The Verdict is Still Out

While some studies have suggested that frequent use of cell phones causes increased risk of brain and mouth cancers, others have found no such links. But since cell phones are relatively new and brain cancers grow slowly, many experts are now recommending taking steps to reduce exposure.

By Bruce Stutz • August 2, 2010

Does your cell phone increase your risk of brain cancer? Does it affect your skin or your sperm viability? Is it safe for pregnant women or children? Should you keep it in your bag, on your belt, in your pants or shirt pocket? Should you use a hands-free headset? Are present cell phone safety standards strict enough? You don’t know? You’re not alone. With some 4 to 5 billion cell phones now in use worldwide and hundreds of studies seeking evidence of their health effects published in peer-reviewed journals over the last 10 years, there’s precious little scientific certainty over whether cell phones pose any danger to those using them. For nearly every study that reports an effect, another, just as carefully conducted, finds none. All of which leaves journalists, consumer advocates, regulatory agencies, politicians, industry spokespersons, and cell phone users able to choose and interpret the results they prefer, or ignore the ones they don’t.

Do you, for instance, cite the studies that report adverse effects on sperm viability and motility, due to exposure to cell phone radiation or the studies that showed no — or mixed — results?

Do you cite the 2001 study that found increased incidence of uveal melanoma (a cancer of the eye) among frequent cell phone users, or the 2009 study by the same authors that, in reassessing their data, found no increase?

Do you cite the Israeli study that found an association between salivary gland cancer and heavy use of cell phones or the Swedish study that found none?

Do you parse the data and report only those results that have found effects — no matter how small — without citing studies that found no effects? In its much-cited review of cell phone studies, the Environmental Working Group has done just that, reporting, for instance, that “a study from the University of California, Los Angeles, found a correlation between prenatal exposure to cell phone radiation and behavioral problems in children.” But the group left out the study’s very next sentence acknowledging that the association may be “noncausal and may be due to unmeasured confounding.”

The effects of cell phones have proven difficult to assess because they are relatively new, the way and the amount they’re used continues to evolve, and the problems that cell phones might cause are hard to detect. Brain cancers, for instance, are very rare cancers. They affect only some 18 out of every 100,000 people. But the fact that there’s been no recent increase in the numbers may be meaningless with regard to cell phone use since brain cancers are very slow-growing.

The question is whether safety standards are sufficient to protect against long-term exposure.

Cell phones produce “non-ionizing” radiation, which, unlike X- or gamma rays, doesn’t damage DNA by stripping away electrons from molecules in cell tissue. Radiofrequency energy does, however, produce heat and, at high enough levels, can damage cell tissue. This, in the late 1990s, prompted the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) in Europe to set limits on cell phones’ Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) — the measure of the amount of radiofrequency energy a cell phone user absorbs — at, respectively, 1.6 and 2.0 watts per kilogram. The question remains, however, whether these standards are sufficient to protect against long-term exposures and whether the buildup of heat in cell tissues is more damaging where there’s less blood flow to dissipate it, such as the outer ear, brain, skin, or testes.

The exposure standard has been the subject of Congressional hearings. Consumer groups have warned that children may be more susceptible to radiofrequency heating effects than adults. U.S. Congressman Dennis Kucinich introduced a bill for a federal research program on the effects of cell phone radiation that also calls for a label warning users about potential links between long-term use and cancer.

Last month, San Francisco passed a “Cell Phone Right-to-Know” law that requires manufacturers to post in stores each cell phone’s Specific Absorption Rate. In response, CTIA-The Wireless Association, which represents the wireless communications industry, filed suit July 23 in U.S. District Court in San Francisco to block enforcement of the new law. It cites the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) statement that “the weight of scientific evidence has not linked cell phones with any health problems.”

So far, the National Cancer Institute stands by the FDA. And neither the FCC nor the ICNIRP has recommended any changes in their present standards until there’s clear scientific evidence to demonstrate they need changing.

That kind of clarity may be a long way off.

Take, for example, the findings released in May of INTERPHONE, the largest and longest study ever conducted on whether — and by how much — cell phone use increases the odds of developing brain cancer. Carried out by the International Agency for Research on Cancer — at a cost of some $25 million and nearly 10 years in the making — the study involved roughly two dozen scientists and research teams from around the world and some 10,000 patients and cell phone users from 13 countries. The study’s epic scope, however, only made its meager conclusions seem all the more unsatisfying.

“Overall, no increase in risk of glioma [a cancer of the cells that protects the brain’s neurons] or meningioma [tumors that develop in the tissue that surrounds the brain] was observed with use of mobile phones,” the study concluded. “The possible effects of long-term heavy use of mobile phones require further investigation.”

‘After 10 years of research, we do not have an answer whether mobile phone radiation causes brain cancer,’ says one expert.

And yet even these modest claims proved contentious. The study scientists themselves recognized problems in the methodology: While they had good data on the participants’ tumor and cancer histories, they had very suspect data on their cell phone usage. Participants’ recall of how often and how much they talked on their cell phones, when checked against their actual cell phone records, in some cases proved very unreliable. The matching of patients with control subjects also turned out to be problematic. Should controls include only those who never used a cell phone and exclude those who’d used one only infrequently? While the distinction may seem insignificant, such selection biases can wreak statistical havoc. The analysis using the first group, for instance, resulted in the somewhat astonishing finding that regular users of cell phones had a reduced risk of developing glioma.

No one was surprised, therefore, that divisions appeared over interpreting the study’s results. These delayed its release for four years. The raw data, in fact, showed that “long-term heavy use” — that is, talking on a cell phone for 30 minutes a day for 10 years — increased the odds of developing glioma by 40 percent. The question was whether this result was subject to the same selection bias as that which strangely showed a reduced risk among regular users. The final decision was that the findings with regard to the “effects of long-term heavy use” were, while worth “further investigation,” too unreliable to conclude they represented a clear and irrefutable increased risk.

While the risk of any individual developing glioma would still be small, a 40 percent increase could still mean some thousands more new cases in the U.S. each year. And gliomas account for nearly half of all childhood tumors.

The question for the INTERPHONE scientists was whether this finding was real or the result of flawed data?

As Finnish researcher Dariusz Leszczynski of Helsinki’s STUK-Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, put it, the study’s combination of reliable and flawed information resulted in a “scientifically unreliable and non-informative result.”

“What it all means,” Leszczynski concludes, “is that after 10 years of research and millions of Euros used for it we are still in the starting point [his emphasis] and do not have the answer whether, or whether not, mobile phone radiation could cause brain cancer.”

Christopher Wild, director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, acknowledges that most of the study’s participants, even the heaviest users, were not frequent mobile phone users by today’s standards. The criteria for a “regular” user was someone who made from one call a week to 25 calls a day, but no one in the study talked for more than half an hour a day. On the other hand, the study doesn’t take into account that people now often text rather than talk, and many more use hands-free headsets.

Ten years of use may not be a legitimate time frame to establish any causal links to such slow-growing cancers. And if there is a risk, does it continue to increase beyond 10 years of usage, and by how much? This would especially be a concern for those who began using cell phones when they were children, as is now frequently the case.

Nearly everyone seems to agree that it’s worth reducing your exposure as best you can.

New epidemiological studies now underway might prove more elucidating. They include COSMOS, a United Kingdom study that will follow for 20 to 30 years some 350,000 cell phone users from the UK, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and The Netherlands, and that will use actual cell phone records for their database. Another study, MOBI-KIDS, is a European Union project in 13 countries that over five years will compare the cell phone usage of some 2000 young people, ages 10 to 24, with brain tumors to the same number of healthy controls.

Are there alternatives to epidemiological studies?

Studying animals exposed to cell phone radiation has proven difficult, especially when it comes to controlling doses of radiation which, in the case of cell phones, are small; the response of animal cells at low doses may not reflect the response of human cells.

Recent in vitro studies — that is, studies on cultured cell tissue — have focused on whether radiofrequency radiation might interfere with the DNA repair process and cause damaged DNA to accumulate. So far, some studies have found damage while others have not. With so much uncertainty as to what exactly causes the disruption of cell processes, it’s difficult to compare one study with another. The same uncertainty has been true regarding the few studies on sperm — of concern because many men tend to keep their cell phones in their front pants pockets.

Leszczynski and others point out that present SAR standards don’t necessarily take into account how cell phones are actually used. While our brain may be exposed to the allowable amount of radiofrequency radiation, our bodies and our skin may be getting more than the phone’s advertised dose of radiofrequency radiation. A hands-free device can reduce exposure to the head, but if you still keep your phone in your shirt pocket, your body’s still being exposed.

In the meantime, nearly everyone seems to agree that it’s worth putting the precautionary principle into play; that is, reduce your exposure as best you can. The radiofrequency radiation falls off quickly the farther your cell phone is from your body. Look for a cell phone with a low SAR. Don’t keep your cell phone in your pocket. Use a hands-free device. Text rather than talk. And while the cancer risks are unknown, the risks from using your cell phone while driving are pretty clear.

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How Your Cell Phone Might Affect Your Brain

Research suggests smartphones impact the brain in a variety of ways

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania.

praetorianphoto / Getty Images

Reduced Cognitive Ability
Worse Social and Emotional Skills
Disrupted Sleep
Mental Laziness
How to Protect Your Brain

We use our phones for many things, from making business calls to checking our email to communicating with friends and loved ones. Our phones have become an inextricable part of our lives. But does this reliance on smartphones have any impact on our brains?

Some recent research indicates that it might. Experts suggest that all of this phone use might affect our social and emotional regulation skills, disrupt our sleep, and turn us into lazy thinkers.

Kids are also using these devices more and more, which has led experts to question the possible long-term effects on development. One study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that the amount of time kids spend staring at digital screens rose 52% over a three-year period.

How this might affect development remains to be seen. However, it is a question of interest for healthcare practitioners, mental health professionals, educators, parents, and anyone who uses a smartphone regularly.

At a Glance

If you're like most people, you use your phone for everything from talking to friends to managing your money to even doing your job. Unfortunately, some experts think this reliance might actually be taking a toll on our brains. Some negative effects that might happen include changes in cognitive ability, problems with social or emotional skills, problems sleeping, and mental laziness. While it's not likely (or realistic) for people to forgo their phones, their are some things we can do to protect our brains from these damaging effects.

Phone Use Can Negatively Affect Cognitive Ability

Recent research suggests that smartphone usage does indeed affect the brain. Remember, however, that such research is still in the early stages. While we know a bit more about some of the short-term effects, the long-term effects remain to be seen.

Changes in Brain Chemistry

Some evidence indicates that using mobile phones might lead to chemical changes in the brain. In one study presented to the Radiological Society of North America, researchers found that young people with a so-called internet and smartphone addiction actually demonstrated imbalances in brain chemistry compared to a control group.

Such changes might help explain why some people develop technology addictions, and why others find it so tough to be without their phones .

Reduced Cognitive Capacity

One well-known study in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research found that cognitive capacity was significantly reduced whenever a smartphone is within reach, even when the phone is off.

Researchers dubbed this effect the "brain drain hypothesis." Essentially, we are less likely to rely on our own cognitive resources if we know an information source is readily available.

A more recent meta-analysis also found that the presence of a smartphone was associated with decreases in working memory. This is consistent with earlier results, but the newer analysis indicates that the magnitude of this effect might not be as pronounced as previously believed.

One factor that researchers think might play a part in how strongly people are affected by this: FOMO, or the fear of missing out . Being distracted by our phones suggests that we are always, on some level, thinking about what is happening in the online world—and what we might be missing when we aren't using our phones.

In other words, if you always feel a nagging sense that you're missing out on a text, news story, or celebrity gossip, keeping your phone visible while you work might be a bad idea. Consider turning it off and putting it in another room when you need to get stuff done.

Worse Reading Comprehension

You've probably noticed that how you read online text differs from how you read the printed page. For many of us, it's common to skim online articles or skip around the page to find key points. But this isn't the only difference. Some evidence indicates that we understand less of what we read online than what we do in print.

One 2020 study found that reading on an electronic device such as a smartphone results in lower reading comprehension.

The exact reasons for this are unclear, but researchers have found that people sigh less often when reading on a smartphone. This impact on respiration is also associated with excess activity in the brain's prefrontal cortex and reduced reading comprehension.

Phone Affects Social-Emotional Skills

In the commentary appearing in the journal Pediatrics , researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine took a closer look at the available literature on smartphone and iPad use among very young children.

Using such devices to entertain or pacify children, they warn, might have a detrimental effect on their social and emotional development.

The concern, researchers suggest is that kids will not develop their own internal self-regulation mechanisms if they always rely on being distracted by a digital device.

The experts suggest that hands-on activities and those involving direct human interaction are superior to interactive screen games. The use of mobile devices becomes especially problematic when such devices replace hands-on activities that help develop visual-motor and sensorimotor skills.

There are still many unknowns about how the use of mobile devices influences child development. What concerns many experts, however, is whether the overuse of smartphones and tablets might interfere with developing social and problem-solving skills better acquired during unstructured play with interaction with peers.

Phone Use May Lead to Disrupted Sleep

Using your smartphone or tablet at bedtime might be interfering with your sleep, and not because you’re staying up late to check your email, scrolling through your social media feeds, or playing a game of online trivia.

Sleep experts warn that the type of light emitted from your mobile device’s screen might just be messing up your sleep cycle, even after you turn off your device.

In a study published in the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences , a dozen adult participants were asked to either read on an iPad for four hours each night before bed or read printed books in dim lighting. After five consecutive nights, the two groups switched.

What the researchers discovered was that those who had read on an iPad before bedtime displayed a reduction in levels of melatonin , a hormone that increases throughout the evening and induces sleepiness. It also took these participants longer to fall asleep, and they experienced less REM sleep throughout the night.

The culprit? The type of blue light emitted by most mobile devices. The cells at the back of the eyes contain a light-sensitive protein that picks up specific wavelengths of light. These light-sensitive cells then send signals to the brain's "clock, " which regulates circadian rhythms.

Typically, blue light peaks in the morning, signaling your body to wake up for the day. Red light increases in the evening, signaling it is time to wind down and go to bed. By interrupting this natural cycle with the blue light emitted by mobile devices, the normal sleep-wake cycles are thrown out of whack.

These sleep interruptions can hurt your brain and mental health. Poor sleep is associated with various mental health problems , including mood changes, stress, anxiety, depression, and brain fog .

The next time you’re tempted to play with your mobile device in bed, think about the possible effect this might have on your brain and your sleep and consider picking up a paperback book instead.

Our Phones Might Be Making Us Mentally Lazy

Mobile devices don't just offer distraction—we also rely on them to provide information. We no longer have to memorize phone numbers or keep a Rolodex on our desks—all that information is conveniently stored on our phone’s contact list.

Instead of mulling over questions you might have about the world around you, you can just grab your phone and Google the answers. Instead of trying to remember appointments, meetings, or dates, you simply rely on an iPhone app to remind you of what you need to accomplish each day.

And some experts warn that this over-reliance on your mobile device for all the answers might lead to mental laziness. One study has found that there is a link between relying on a smartphone and mental laziness.

Smartphones don't necessarily turn people from deep thinkers into lazy thinkers, but the research does suggest that people who are naturally intuitive thinkers—or those who act based on instinct and emotions—tend to rely on their phones more frequently.

Researchers suggest that this can interfere with analytical and logical thinking. Some even wonder if using our phones too much might contribute to decreased intelligence.

Clearly, much more research is needed. Experts warn, however, that the use of mobile devices has far out-paced the available research on the subject. Scientists and doctors are just beginning to understand the potential short-term (and long-term) effects of smartphone use on the brain.

Mobile devices are bound to have their detriments, but the researchers also suggest that we have yet to fully understand how they might benefit the brain.

Get Advice From The Verywell Mind Podcast

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares effective ways to reduce screen time.

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So What Can You Do to Protect Your Brain?

Even though we might know that our phones might negatively affect our brains, the reality is that we need them. For many, they are a connection to information, resources, tools, and communication that are essential for daily life.

What we can do is work on becoming more intentional about how we use and interact with our phones. Strategies that can help:

Build Awareness

We need to know what we are dealing with before we can take steps to address it. This means tracking and assessing how much you are using your phone.

What are you using it for? What's your average daily screen time? Do you use your phone to soothe difficult emotions or avoid important tasks? Answering such questions can give you insight into problems you might want to address.

Consider Setting Limits

Setting specific limits on your phone use can be helpful. It's important to be purposeful about your mobile phone use, but you should also consider what works for you.

For some people, this might involve removing certain apps from their phones. Others may find it helpful to use apps or phone settings to control how long they use certain apps or websites each day.

Some people find that it is helpful to have phone-free times or even entire days. For example, you might decide you won't use your phone after 7 PM or on Saturdays so you can fully focus on the other people in your life.

What This Means For You

While experts are beginning to get a clearer picture of the effects of cell phone on our brains, the reality is that there is still a lot that we don't know. The best thing you can do is consider some of these possible effects and take steps to be more intentional when using your phone. Give yourself breaks, set limits if you need to, and make sure that you aren't relying on tech devices to replace real-world connections.

Madigan S, Eirich R, Pador P, McArthur BA, Neville RD. Assessment of changes in child and adolescent screen time during the covid-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis . JAMA Pediatr . 2022;176(12):1188. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.4116

Radiology Society of North America. Smartphone Addiction Creates Imbalance in Brain . November 2017.

Ward AF, Duke K, Gneezy A, Box MW. Brain drain: The mere presence of one's own smartphone reduces available cognitive capacity . Journal of the Association for Consumer Research . 2017;2(2):140-154. doi:10.1086/691462

Parry DA. Does the mere presence of a smartphone impact cognitive performance? A meta-analysis of the 'brain drain effect .' PsyArXiv ; 2022. doi:10.31234/osf.io/tnyda

Scientific American. Is your phone actually draining your brain ?

Honma M, Masaoka Y, Iizuka N, et al. Reading on a smartphone affects sigh generation, brain activity, and comprehension . Sci Rep . 2022;12(1):1589. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-05605-0

Radesky JS, Schumacher J, Zuckerman B. Mobile and interactive media use by young children: The good, the bad, and the unknown . Pediatrics . 2015;135(1):1-3. doi:10.1542/peds.2014-2251

Chang AM, Aeschbach D, Duffy JF, Czeisler CA. Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A . 2015;112(4):1232-1237. doi:10.1073/pnas.1418490112

Scott AJ, Webb TL, Rowse G. Does improving sleep lead to better mental health? . A protocol for a meta-analytic review of randomised controlled trials. BMJ Open . 2017;7(9):e016873. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016873

Barr N, Pennycook G, Stolz JA, Fugelsang JA. The brain in your pocket: Evidence that smartphones are used to supplant thinking . Computers in Human Behavior . 2015;48:473-480. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.02.029

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

Are Smartphones Bad for Teen Mental Health?

Half of parents today think that their children are addicted to smartphones, and these parents are concerned about how mobile phones will affect their kids’ mental health , according to a new survey from Common Sense Media and SurveyMonkey. Each day, we hear that smartphones and social media are making our children—particularly teenagers—lazy, addicted, lonely, uninterested in having sex, too interested in viewing sex, and unable to function in the real world.

But our fear is misplaced; there is no compelling evidence that spending time online has a deleterious effect on teens’ mental health.

Young people today represent one of the most educated, least violent, and most socially connected generations the world has seen. Before you assume that I am being paid by a tech giant or have some Pollyanna view of adolescents, I should disclose that I am a psychologist and have spent my career studying mental health problems among young people. Mental disorders represent a real problem for a significant number of kids—up to one in five children under the age of 18 suffers from a mental disorder —and this was true long before smartphones were placed in their hands.

That’s why reports that smartphones are causing mental health problems among adolescents have caught my attention. If true, this link would be a major breakthrough in clinical practice. Parents, clinicians, and educators would have an easily identifiable target for addressing mental health problems among teens. It could revolutionize our prevention efforts and save lives.

It was disappointing, then, to learn that smartphones are unlikely to blame for this generation’s reported increases in serious mental health problems like depression. There is no good evidence yet that smartphone or social media use is driving these increases. When I looked past the headlines and at the data, I usually found no association between time spent online and mental health for most teens. When there was a link, it was tiny, with an unclear relationship between cause and effect.

Does this mean that paying attention to the amount of time teenagers spend glued to their devices does not matter? Absolutely not. Future studies may uncover negative effects; as of now, there are very few rigorous, large-scale studies available. This needs to change so we can responsibly monitor and respond to any risks.

In the meantime, we do know that young people who are already vulnerable or struggling in their offline lives receive less guidance navigating the online world. Parents in wealthier homes are more likely to actively mediate their child’s online activities—by talking about them, suggesting ways to use the Internet more safely, or joining in.

Among wealthy nations, income gaps in Internet and device access are shrinking, but a new type of digital divide is emerging. Youth in higher-income homes spend more time than disadvantaged kids in reading the news and searching out information online. In the U.S., teens in low-income families spend a greater share of time online using social media and watching videos . Teens from low-income families are more likely to report negative digital experiences such as cyberbullying, and social media experiences that spill over to create problems at school and with peers .

For parents and teachers, this means that phones may serve as mirrors reflecting problems or struggles that would otherwise be missed. It also means that already vulnerable teens may require additional support. A growing opportunity gap in access to resources, opportunities, and adult investment has emerged over the last 25 years as income inequality has accelerated, especially among families with children . It would be sad indeed to see this gap replicate itself in the online world.

The digital world is not creating a new species of teenagers. Many things that draw teens to smartphones—the need to socially connect, seek novel experiences, and learn about the world—are the sorts of things they have always sought. Just as in the offline world, there are light and dark places online that young people need our help to navigate.

But to effectively guide them, we will need to stop screaming about smartphones and start collaboratively building a digital world based on evidence—not fear. While adults obsess about teens and screen-time, real threats around data security, privacy, and loss of autonomy will continue to go unchecked. Worse, it could cause us to miss the real determinants of mental health problems among our kids.

So does all of the worrying about teenagers and their smartphones matter? Maybe. But likely not in the way we would expect. It turns out that parents spend far more time arguing with their kids about how much time they are spending online than they do discussing with them what they’re doing online. It’s time for a different approach.

This article was originally published on Fortune . Read the original article .

About the Author

Candice Odgers

Candice Odgers, Ph.D. , is a professor of psychology and social behavior at the University of California-Irvine and a research professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. She’s a fellow of the Jacobs Foundation and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.

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Essay on Effects Of Mobile Phones On Students

Students are often asked to write an essay on Effects Of Mobile Phones On Students in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Effects Of Mobile Phones On Students

Introduction.

Mobile phones, once a luxury, have now become a necessity for everyone, including students. While they offer several benefits, they also pose significant challenges. Let’s explore their effects on students.

Learning Tool

Mobile phones can be great learning tools. They provide access to a vast amount of information on the internet. Students can use educational apps, watch educational videos, and even take online courses. This makes learning more interactive and fun.

Communication

Mobile phones make communication easier. Students can connect with their teachers, classmates, and parents anytime, anywhere. This helps in sharing information, discussing projects, and seeking help when needed.

Distraction

On the flip side, mobile phones can be a major source of distraction. Students might spend excessive time on social media, games, and entertainment apps, leading to reduced study time and lower academic performance.

Health Issues

Excessive use of mobile phones can lead to health issues. Staring at the screen for long hours can cause eye strain. Also, it can lead to poor posture and sleep disorders, impacting a student’s overall health.

In conclusion, mobile phones have both positive and negative impacts on students. They can enhance learning and communication but can also lead to distraction and health issues. It’s important for students to use them wisely.

250 Words Essay on Effects Of Mobile Phones On Students

Mobile phones are a big part of our lives today. Most students use them for different things like playing games, chatting with friends, or studying. They can be helpful but also have some bad effects on students.

Positive Effects

Mobile phones can be really useful for students. They can use them to find information on the internet, use educational apps, and even take notes in class. This makes learning easier and more fun. Also, students can stay in touch with their friends and family, which is good for their social life.

Negative Effects

Even though mobile phones can be helpful, they can also cause problems. Students can get addicted to games or social media, which can make them spend less time on their studies. This can lead to poor grades. Also, spending too much time on the phone can lead to health problems like eye strain or poor sleep.

In conclusion, mobile phones have both good and bad effects on students. They can help with learning and staying connected, but can also lead to addiction and health problems. It’s important for students to use their phones wisely. They should try to balance their time between using their phone and doing other important things like studying and spending time with family.

500 Words Essay on Effects Of Mobile Phones On Students

Mobile phones have become an important part of our lives. They are used by people of all ages, including students. Mobile phones have both positive and negative effects on students. This essay will discuss these effects.

One positive effect of mobile phones on students is that they can be used as learning tools. There are many educational apps and websites that students can access on their phones. These can help them understand difficult subjects, practice skills, and learn new things. For example, language learning apps can help students practice a new language. Also, there are apps for math, science, history, and many other subjects. These resources make learning more interesting and fun for students.

Mobile phones also make it easy for students to communicate with their friends, family, and teachers. They can send messages, make calls, and even have video chats. This can be very helpful, especially when students need help with their homework or projects. They can easily reach out to their classmates or teachers for assistance.

Organization

Mobile phones can also help students stay organized. They can use their phones to set reminders for assignments, tests, and other important dates. They can also use them to take notes and keep track of their tasks. This can help students manage their time better and stay on top of their schoolwork.

On the other hand, mobile phones can also have negative effects on students. One of these is distraction. Many students spend a lot of time on their phones, playing games, chatting with friends, or browsing social media. This can take away time from their studies and can lead to poor academic performance.

Another negative effect of mobile phones is health issues. Spending too much time on a phone can lead to problems like eye strain, poor posture, and even sleep disorders. These can affect a student’s health and well-being.

In conclusion, mobile phones have both positive and negative effects on students. They can be great tools for learning, communication, and organization. But they can also cause distraction and health issues. It’s important for students to use their phones wisely and in a balanced way. This will help them get the most benefits from their phones while avoiding the negative effects.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Should Teenagers Have Mobile Phones? Essay

Introduction, mobile phones for teenagers: negative impacts.

Mobile phones, which were invented a few decades ago, have become important communication devices utilized by society members of all ages. One age group that has made persistent use of mobile phones is teenagers. Teenagers’ overuse of phones has had a marked effect on their school lives. This paper will address the negative impacts that mobile phones are having on teenagers’ school life.

Mobile phones impose financial pressures on teenagers since these devices act as status symbol objects. Campbell (2005) confirms that most teenagers have the desire to upgrade their phones in order to fit in with their peers.

Since most teenagers do not have a source of income, they have to rely on their families to buy them phones and pay the phone bills. This raises issues of financial disputes and some teenagers end up stealing money from their parents to spend on their phones.

Teenagers use mobile phones to aid in cheating during exams. Students use their cell phones to communicate with each other during exams and therefore obtain answers to the test questions. Students can also cheat by getting answers from their phone memory or the internet.

Campbell (2005) documents that while teenagers have always engaged in cheating; mobile phones have increased the level of sophistication in cheating and decreased the chances of the misconduct being detected by the teacher.

Mobile phones are also problematic in school since they increase the level of disruption. Research indicates that teenagers are reluctant to switch off their phones while in class and this leads to learning activity being disrupted when the student receives a call or a text (Campbell, 2005).

Even when the student does not access his/her mobile phone, the excitement of finding out what the message is about results in the student losing interest in the class leading to poor academic outcomes.

Mobile phones have significant negative impacts on teenagers’ school life. This paper has demonstrated that mobile phones cause financial difficulties, enhance cheating, and disrupt lessons. Parents and teachers should therefore forbid teenagers from having mobile phones in school.

Campbell, M A 2005, The impact of the mobile phone on young people’s social life , Proceedings Social Change in the 21st Century Conference, QUT Carseldine, Brisbane.

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Home / Essay Samples / Information Science and Technology / Negative Impact of Technology / Are Cell Phones Really Dangerous: Arguments on the Topic

Are Cell Phones Really Dangerous: Arguments on the Topic

Category: Information Science and Technology
Topic: Cell Phones , Disadvantages of Technology , Negative Impact of Technology

Pages: 3 (1474 words)

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Works Cited

Gutiérrez, José De-Sola, et al. “Cell-Phone Addiction: A Review.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 7, 2016, doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00175.
“Cellular Phones.” American Cancer Society
Nandi, Partha. “3 Serious Reasons to Stop Using Your Smartphone at Night.” NutriLiving by NutriBullet, 11 Oct. 2017
Pulliam, Daniel, 'Effect of Student Classroom Cell Phone Usage on Teachers' (2017). Masters Theses & Specialist Projects. Paper 1915.
“Effects of Cell Phones as an Environmental Hazard.” LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group
[email protected] . “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” NHTSA, 2 Apr. 2019

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About the Author

Candice Odgers

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Essay on Effects Of Mobile Phones On Students

100 Words Essay on Effects Of Mobile Phones On Students

Learning Tool

Communication

Distraction

Health Issues

250 Words Essay on Effects Of Mobile Phones On Students

Positive Effects

Negative Effects

500 Words Essay on Effects Of Mobile Phones On Students

Organization

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Should Teenagers Have Mobile Phones? Essay

Are Cell Phones Really Dangerous: Arguments on the Topic

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