How Mothers Against Media Addiction Is Making a Change

By: Ava McKinley | Seasonal Public Relations Intern | Digital4Good

With more and more children receiving their own smartphones or tablets at young ages, youth media addiction has undeniably grown into an epidemic. Parents are increasingly noticing symptoms in their children, including shortened attention spans, separation anxiety, decreased focus, sleep problems, and poor social skills. 

Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA) was formed to combat media addiction and cyberbullying among teens and children. MAMA is working to make substantial, lasting changes in our legislation and restore childhood to what it should be: healthy, happy and screen-free.

What Is Media Addiction?

Media addiction refers to an excessive use of and overreliance on technology, including TV, smartphones and tablets. In children, this condition hinders development and other aspects of their lives, often leading to issues such as social isolation and mental health crises. 

According to a 2016 Common Sense Media Survey, 50% of teens reported being addicted to their mobile devices, with 59% of parents agreeing that media addiction was a problem in their households. Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, these numbers have continued to rise.

Social media platforms are designed to keep users scrolling for hours on end. For instance, TikTok and Instagram engage users with a constant feed of photos or videos, making it almost impossible to divert one’s attention to a less visually stimulating activity. 

What Is MAMA?

Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA) is a nationwide movement of parents working to prevent media addiction in children and protect real-life childhood experiences. Julie Scelfo, a mother of three and former New York Times staff writer, founded the organization in March 2024. MAMA equips parents with tools to protect their children online and advocates for children’s online safety, privacy, and digital wellness. 

How Is MAMA Combating Media Addiction?

There are 26 chapters of Mothers Against Media Addiction across 16 states. One chapter implemented an “away for the day” policy at their local elementary and middle schools. Under this policy, students were banned from using phones or smart watches during the school day without permission. The schools also waived the requirement for elementary students to bring school-issued computers home. 

These changes might sound small, but making incremental changes like these is instrumental in breaking media addiction. MAMA is one of the biggest proponents in advocating for these changes. 

In addition, the New York chapter of MAMA has initiated several legislative changes within New York and is working to get the Kids Online Safety Act signed into law. This act would require social media platforms to implement safeguards against potentially harmful content, disable the apps’ addictive features, and switch off personalized algorithmic recommendations for children.

Are you or your child struggling with media addiction and not sure where to start? Take Digital4Good’s fully online, on-demand course, Parent Guidelines for Youth Digital Safety! This course will teach you everything you need to know about improving the digital health of your home, promoting balanced tech use, and helping your child stay safe online.