Tessa Films Produces New Smartphone Free Childhood US PSA, “Let’s Change The Norm"
Smartphone Free Childhood US (SFCxUS), a grassroots movement of parent advocates, today announced the release of its powerful new Public Service Announcement (PSA), titled “Let’s Change The Norm.” The PSA highlights the immense pressures and responsibilities placed on children by smartphones and social media, advocating for a return to a childhood rich in play, relationships and real-world experiences.
“It’s not a fair fight. These products are designed to be addictive and are stealing childhood,” said Kim Whitman, SFCxUS co-lead and mother of two. “Through a playful yet pointed lens, this PSA shows how access to phones and social media inappropriately places grown-up responsibilities on children.”
Written and directed by Tim Mason and produced by Tessa Films, “Let’s Change The Norm” emphasizes that smartphones and social media impose adult-sized responsibilities on children who are not yet ready to manage constant notifications, online bullying, addictive algorithms and harmful content such as cyberbullying, hackers and sextortion.
“Despite serious concerns about online dangers and youth mental health, the lack of age verification on websites and social media means it's up to parents to keep kids and teens safe online,” said Jean Twenge, author of 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World and Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University. “That's a daunting task, but a necessary and important one. The good news: Parents can work together to delay smartphones and social media for their kids. That's why I'm so excited that Smartphone Free Childhood is growing in the U.S."
The new PSA underscores the organization’s core message: Childhood is too precious to be spent on a screen. Behind the humor of the PSA lies a serious truth: Research consistently links excessive smartphone use in youth to increased anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, fragmented attention spans, exposure to harmful content and underdeveloped social skills.
“As a mother of three (now ages 18–23), my kids were among the first generation to grow up with smartphones and social media—and to bear the brunt of their damaging effects, “says Lisa Masseur, Executive Producer & Partner, Tessa Films. “Through middle and high school, especially during the pandemic years, I watched their lives become increasingly consumed by devices. Many parents, me included, struggled to manage screen time, and too often we gave up. The cost was heartbreaking: rising anxiety, eating disorders, depression, bullying—and in some cases, lives lost to suicide.”
Adds Tim Mason, “As a father of four, I can’t even count the number of conversations I’ve had with other parents about smartphones and the stress of trying to regulate our kids’ usage. And while it’s a serious topic, those conversations almost always end with us laughing—mostly at how wildly fast this technology became ubiquitous. We are the first generation of parents to navigate this, and what quickly became “normal” happened so fast that no one stopped to ask what we were letting our kids access.
“That realization is what sparked this PSA,” Mason continues. “I shot it in a single day at my own house—mostly with friends, myself, and my daughter’s friends—and called in a few favors from people Lisa and I know in the production world. Everyone said yes right away, largely because they recognized how urgent this issue is.”
Masseur says she was mostly alarmed by the knowledge that many children now receive their first smartphone as early as ages eight to ten. “When Tim came to me with the idea for this PSA, I immediately jumped on board,” she notes. “I knew we could make an impact by getting this message out widely. By using comedy to highlight the absurdity of giving kids unlimited access through a personal device, we hope this PSA will be shared far and wide. “Changing the Norm” is exactly what’s needed right now, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with SFCxUS to help make that mission a reality.”
Jonathan Haidt’s 2024 book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, documents the staggering increases since 2010 in clinical diagnoses of anxiety (134 percent); depression (106 percent); anorexia (100 percent); and substance abuse and addiction (33 percent).
Smartphone Free Childhood US urges parents and communities to engage in conversations about delaying smartphones and to connect with like-minded individuals to foster a supportive environment. The organization stresses that delaying access allows a child’s brain to mature, promoting stronger focus, healthier sleep and more face-to-face connection.
The PSA’s release is accompanied by a call to action for parents to join the movement at smartphonefreechildhoodus.com. Follow SFCxUS on Instagram and Facebook.
CREDITS
Written and Directed by Tim Mason
Creative Agency: Fearless Mortals
Production Company: Tessa Films
Executive Producer: Lisa Masseur
Producer: Jackie Schroeder
DP: Michael Ognisanti
1st AC: Catie Mitchel
Gaffer: Ron Leahy
Audio: Zach Scheitlin
Set Decorator: Jonathan Trujillo
Coordinator: Isabella Siska
Editor: Matt Tar
Mixer: Zach Scheitlin
Colorist: Justin Laurel
