Six Years of Fighting Big Tech for Children and Young Adults
How Sociedad Latina's Youth Leaders are Changing the Conversation about Cellphones, Screen Time, Social Media, AI, and Mental Health
SECTION 1: Superintendent Presentation at Boston Public School Committee
On Wednesday, October 14, Boston Public Schools Superintendent, Mary Skipper, presented at the Boston Public School Committee meeting to urge for the the adoption of a district-wide bell-to-bell cellphone policy to be instated for the following school year. The vote will be taking place in January.
For six years, Sociedad Latina’s staff and youth have been monumental in pushing for this adoption, raising awareness of the need for device-free schools that supports more opportunities for students and educators to connect and build community during the school day and build a school climate that improves student’s overall well-being and learning outcomes.
This is one of the campaign goals of our Youth Leaders’ Teens and Technology: Thriving in a Digital Age, with the hope that a state-wide device-free policy will pass in the near future.
The Boston Globe reported on Wednesday’s presentation, highlighting Sociedad Latina’s involvement in the advocacy for this policy adoption. Our Executive Director, Alexandra Oliver-Dávila, stated, “This is going to go a long way towards building community, helping students connect with one another, reducing conflict, increasing well-being, and improving focus.”
We couldn’t be more proud of the incredible advocacy efforts and mobilizing of our youth towards making this feat happen!
SECTION 2: Exploring Cell Phones, Social Media Usage and Youth Well-Being Survey + Findings
Sociedad Latina’s Youth Leaders, in partnership with Tufts University Tisch College Community Research Center, developed their Exploring Cellphone and Social Media Usage and Youth Well-Being survey, designed to understand the impact that cellphones and social media use has on the well-being of teenagers ages 14-19, including time spent on cellphones and social media platforms, most used social media platforms, reasons social media and cellphone is used, and parents/caregivers’ involvement with their teenagers’s social media, screentime, and cellphone experience.
Survey results were analyzed by our research team consisting of our Youth Leaders and researchers from TCRC. The results highlight patterns of digital engagement that are deeply concerning and demand policy attention:
Alarmingly 25% of youth spend 6-8 hours a day on social media; 22% spend 8-14 hours and 18% spend 4-6 hours a day
84% use their cellphones during school hours, reflecting how constant digital access disrupts learning and social connection
86% report using their phones to curb boredom, suggesting reliance on digital platforms as a primary coping mechanism
Only 30% of youth report having rules at home around social media, and 48% say they rarely or never discuss social media with their parents or caregivers
These findings reinforce what we consistently hear from our youth: the pressure to always be online, addictive design features (e.g. the dopamine produced from endless scrolling that changes the brain structure of teens and forms addiction), algorithmic content exposure, cyberbullying, and the social comparison built into platform design significantly impacts their self-esteem, focus, social connection with peers, and mental health.
Putting research into action, Sociedad Latina’s staff and Youth Leaders joined City Councilor Henry Santana to host a panel to discuss the survey findings and present recommendations, bringing together youth and adult voices to tackle the impact of social media and cellphones on young people's mental health. Panelists included Sociedad Latina’s Executive Director, Alexandra Oliver-Dávila, the President of the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society, Dr. Jhilam Biswas, August Smith, a Northeastern University Master of Public Health student, and two Youth Leaders; a lineup that made clear that young people belong at the center of this conversation.
View highlights from the event.
SECTION 3: Screenagers: Turning Reflection Into Action
From the very start of our Teens and Technology campaign, the Screenagers documentary series has been a cornerstone, giving our Youth Leaders a powerful framework to examine the real consequences of technology and social media and develop solutions.
In the summer of 2024, Youth Leaders dove into the first film, Growing Up in The Digital Age, reflecting on their own technology use at school, at home, and in their social lives. They didn't just watch, they responded, creating personal commitment videos outlining the tools and boundaries they wanted to put in place to take back control of their relationship with technology.
They then brought that energy to their peers, hosting the next two documentary screenings in the trilogy with partner youth organizations in Boston. They led post-film discussions that encouraged young people to honestly examine how technology has shaped their friendships, academics, self-image, and mental health. Teens from across Boston left those conversations better equipped in understanding the pressures of growing up in a digital world.
SECTION 4: State-Wide Toolkit
A community screening of The Social Dilemma and a presentation from the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office on the lawsuit against META, gave our Youth Leaders a behind-the-scenes look at algorithmic design, endless scroll, notifications, and how Big Tech harvests youth data. They took that education straight into action, testifying before public officials and leading community and peer-to-peer workshops across Boston.
That advocacy opened even bigger doors. Youth Leaders contributed directly to the creation of a statewide toolkit, Cell Phones and Social Media In School: A Toolkit for School Leaders & Communities, developed in partnership with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office and the Shah Family Foundation. This toolkit was designed to help schools navigate the challenges of cellphones and social media in learning environments and support districts in building policies that protect student wellbeing. In this work, our Youth Leaders weren't just consulted, they were at the table, shaping solutions for Boston and across the state.
SECTION 5: Boston City Council Hearing + Vote
When the Boston City Council started to examine the relationship between cellphones and student mental health in Boston Public Schools, our Youth Leaders didn't just show up, they helped drive the outcome.
In the days leading up to the August 12, 2025 hearing, our Youth Leaders and staff mobilized residents, educators, and partner organizations to call their representatives, sign-up to testify, and stand in solidarity. When the day came, Youth Leaders took the mic, delivering personal, researched, and powerful testimony reflecting the daily realities students face and making a clear case for digital literacy programs and stronger in-person connection among peers.
Their advocacy helped secure the passage of Resolution 2025-1637. In September 2025, when the full Council voted, it became a historic moment as Boston's first formal acknowledgment that social media and Big Tech contribute to teen anxiety, depression, and social isolation. The resolution called for a district-wide bell-to-bell phone-free policy in Boston Public Schools, removing devices from classrooms to reduce distractions, strengthen peer relationships, and create healthier learning environments. Boston joined a growing national movement alongside cities like Seattle and Los Angeles, becoming a model for prioritizing student mental health.
SECTION 6: Globe Magazine Feature
Teens and Technology has been making headlines. Globe Magazine spotlighted our Youth Leaders in their article "AI in the classroom? These Latino teens want Boston schools to do more training - now.” It highlighted how they are sparking critical conversations with peers and communities about the ethical use of AI and the urgent need to preserve human connection in an increasingly digital world. Our staff reinforced that message as well: teens must learn not only how to use these technologies responsibly, but how to question the systems behind them. Given the recent Open AI lawsuit, the unfolding information about the impact of AI on humanity and the climate, and early research about the psychological impacts of AI on teenagers, Sociedad Latina has called for a one year moratorium on AI in Boston Public Schools.
SECTION 7: Massachusetts Bill H.5349
On April 8, 2026, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed Bill H.5349 on a decisive 129-25 vote. This bill adopts two critical efforts: 1. It requires school districts to prohibit student use of electronic devices during the entire school day, including between classes and breaks, and 2. It mandates that social media companies enforce age restrictions, prohibiting children under 14 from creating accounts and requiring parental consent for children ages 14 and 15.
We are proud that our partnership with the Distraction Free Schools Policy Project MA coalition helped move elected officials to take this step. We want to be clear about what we think should come next. We urge the legislature to prioritize passing a strong bell-to-bell device-free ban. Research shows that truly inaccessible storage solutions, not just phones in backpacks, produce the best outcomes for student focus and connection. Getting the details right will make this legislation durable, effective, and worthy of the students it's meant to serve.