In The Anxious Generation: How The Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, Jonathan Haidt links the rise in youth mental health issues to smartphones and social media, arguing that this shift, combined with overprotective parenting, has reduced play-based childhoods, fueling anxiety and depression. He urges parents, educators, and policymakers to take action. Haidt’s work is reshaping society, influencing global education policies, and inspiring a movement toward healthier childhood development.