Look Up Hong Kong-Ipsos survey of 651 parents backs a four-part plan for kids’ wellbeing: delayed access to smartphones and social media, phone-free schools and more real-world activity and experiences.
HONG KONG, Oct. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Look Up Hong Kong, a new parent-led group launched to unite families for healthier, happier childhoods in the digital age, is leading a movement to advocate for delayed smartphone and social media use. The movement is backed by a growing global body of medical research, and now by Hong Kong data showing overwhelming support from local families concerned about the impact of early digital device use on their children’s wellbeing.
Look Up Hong Kong, a registered non-profit society, has officially launched today, advocating for delaying smartphones until age 14 and social media until 16. The movement kicks off with a survey of 651 Hong Kong parents that revealed widespread problems with smartphone and social media use.
“Hong Kong parents struggle with their own smartphone and social media use. Over 75% say they can’t live without their phones, with two-thirds admitting they spend too much time on them, impacting their wellbeing, work, and lifestyle,” said Robert Broad, Look Up Hong Kong founder.
“They want different for their children,” Broad said. “More than half agree that smartphones and social media negatively affect their child’s wellbeing, and 84% agreed that delaying social media until at least 16 years would benefit both the mental and physical wellbeing of their kids. Their main concerns for their kids are online safety threats, physical and mental health risks, impact on academic performance, and addiction potential.
Look Up Hong Kong prioritizes its activities and recommendations across four pillars:
1. Delay smartphones to at least 14 years, to give children critical brain-development time before facing unlimited internet access and constant alerts [1, 2].
- Three-quarters of parents in the survey support the age-14 target.
2. Delay social-media use to at least 16 years; early social media is linked to spikes in anxiety, body-image issues and cyber-risk exposure [3].
- Around two-thirds of HK parents back a 16-plus start.
3. Advocate for smartphone-free schools and activities—Removing phones for the school day improves attention, peer connection and academic performance [4-8].
- 89% of respondents support restrictions on smartphones in schools.
4. Support outdoor activities, free play and real-world experiences to strengthen agency, social skills, resilience and self-governance [9].
- Many HK kids (34%) get just one (or no) opportunity for outdoor activity a week, outside of school.
“Smartphones and social media are designed to capture attention—if adults struggle to manage their use, what chance do children have?” said Sara Lam, a clinical psychologist managing problematic smartphone use, and Look Up Hong Kong advisor. “These technologies drive family conflict, with over 80% of parents experienced arguments over usage in the past, and expose kids to serious risks – 25% have been contacted by strangers, and 13% of children aged 6-10 have encountered inappropriate adult content.”
Despite these concerns, essentially all children (98%) have a smartphone by 14 years (52% of those aged 6-10 years; 86%, aged 11-13 years), with the average age of first smartphone ownership at just 9 years.
Tanya Strongman of Look Up Hong Kong, explained, “This movement arose from parents’ need for support and shared frustrations. In focus groups, parents repeatedly expressed feeling unprepared to tackle digital challenges alone and overwhelmed by the pressure to give their children smartphones because ‘everyone else has one’.”
To address this pressure, Look Up Hong Kong has launched a city-wide Parent Pact, covering Hong Kong’s more than 1,000 primary and secondary schools. The pact is an online agreement parents can sign to show their commitment to delaying smartphones and social media for their children. Parents can see how many others have signed the pact in their school and class and can use their school community to connect with like-minded parents. “In our survey, more than 85% of parents expressed interest in joining the Parent Pact, and we already have pacts running in over 80 schools across Hong Kong,” Strongman said. “The more parents who join, the stronger the impact. Knowing a pact exists in your child’s class transforms the conversation you can have as a family around delaying smartphones.” (Parents can access the pact on the Look Up Hong Kong website: www.lookup.hk)
Dr. Vivian Mark, a pediatrician and advisor to Look Up Hong Kong, said, “In our daily practice, we see the impact on mental wellbeing (sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, compromised attention, issues with behavioral and emotional regulation, and eating disorders) and on physical health (obesity, musculoskeletal disorders, lack of activity, and eye complaints and myopia). This effort isn’t about rejecting technology — it’s about protecting critical developmental years for the current and future health of our children.”
Advisor to Look Up Hong Kong, Thomas Chiu, a professor of digital futures, and AI in education, at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said, “Helping students thrive in life and academics requires an age-appropriate and intentional approach to the introduction of technologies. We must emphasize foundational aspects of education first, and teach kids how to learn independently, think critically, and understand the appropriate role and use of tech in their education and learning. Offline activities are essential, both in and out of the classroom, and children should be encouraged to explore hobbies, stay active, interact with others in the real world and build well-rounded, healthy lifestyles and relationships.”
“Families deserve real choices, not pressure,” said Jeannie Leung of Look Up Hong Kong. “Tech should be an aid to children’s development, not something that consumes their entire attention. When parents are informed and united, delaying smartphones and social media becomes easier, so no child feels left out. In this, parents and caregivers need support to model healthy tech habits and make confident, informed decisions.”
“As they say, it takes a village to raise a child,” Broad said. “We need the entire community to help our kids thrive in the digital future. We call on the government to provide more outdoor spaces and facilities for our children and to regulate platforms (including effective age verification) to protect our kids from harmful tech and content. We call on healthcare professionals to update practice guidelines and parental counsel to reflect the latest research and medical evidence on digital media exposure and child development. We call on schools to partner with parents to create environments where kids can learn and socialize, free from the stresses of smartphones and social media. Finally, we call on parents and the community to model mindful tech use, teaching kids to see technology as a tool for good, not just distraction.”
References:
[1] Larsen B, Luna B. Adolescence as a neurobiological critical period for the development of higher-order cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018;94:179-195. |
Look Up Hong Kong-Ipsos Survey Summary
A representative cross-section of Hong Kong parents with school-age children
- 651 parents of Hong Kong school children
- 74% from public schools, 14% from private international/direct subsidy schools, 12% from international schools (including ESF schools)
- Children aged 6-16 years (55% aged 6-10, 29% aged 11-13, 16% aged 14-16)
- The survey was conducted in July 2025.
Parents struggle with their own smartphone and social media use
- Two-thirds of parents feel they spend too much time on their smartphones.
- More than three-quarters say they cannot live without their smartphones.
- Parents reported several negative issues related to their own smartphone use:
– 67% have physical health problems (eyestrain, weight gain, lack of exercise, and musculoskeletal pain)
– 51% have mental/emotional health problems (sleep deprivation, attention difficulties and anxiety/depression)
– 41% have experienced scams, risk of identity theft, and unauthorized transactions
– 38% report a negative impact on work performance, and worries about potential addiction
– 38% reported avoiding social interactions, and an increase in family/relationship conflict
– 29% have experienced online harassment or threats and exposure to harmful content
Parents feel the negative effects of early smartphone and social media use outweigh the positives for their children
- More than half of Hong Kong parents believe smartphones and social media negatively impact their child’s overall wellbeing. This belief is as high as 85% among international school parents.80
- Top parental concerns
1. Online safety threats
2. Physical health risks
3. Academic performance and addiction concerns
- According to parents, the social media platforms that pose the greatest threat to children’s wellbeing are:
1. TikTok
2. YouTube
3. Instagram
4. Facebook
5. Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book/ RedNote)
- The top five most used social media platforms for kids are:
1. Instagram (most popular for junior secondary kids)
2. YouTube (most popular for primary kids)
3. WhatsApp
4. TikTok
5. WeChat
- On average, more than 45% of children spend 2 or more hours on their smartphones each day (from 25% of lower primary children to 63% of lower secondary children).
- Many kids (34%) get just one (or no) opportunity for outdoor activity a week, outside of school.
Parents are most concerned about online safety for their kids
- Parents worry about cyberbullying, anxiety, depression, and exposure to inappropriate content.
- 12% of children have been exposed to inappropriate adult content online.
– Boys are almost twice as likely as girls to encounter inappropriate content (15% vs 9%).
- Parents say that 25% of children have been contacted by a stranger online (likely, an underestimate).
– Boys were 50% more likely than girls to have talked to strangers online.
Parents see the impact of smartphones and social media on relationships and behavior
- 28% of parents consider smartphones and social media harmful to their children’s social relationships. This figure rises to 59% among international school parents.
- More than 80% of parents report conflicts with their kids over smartphone usage.
Despite parental concerns, most children have phones earlier than planned in Hong Kong
- While parents planned to give their children a smartphone at 13 years on average (14 for international schools), the average age that children actually received a smartphone is 9 years (ranging from 2 to 15 years), regardless of school type.
- Over 70% of Hong Kong children already have smartphones.
– 52% of 6–10-year-olds
– 86% of 11–13-year-olds
– 98% of 14-year-olds and up
Most parents believe in the benefits of delaying smartphone and social media use
- 84% agreed that delaying social media until at least 16 years would benefit both mental and physical wellbeing of children in Hong Kong.
- Parents who describe themselves as heavy smartphone users are more likely to support delaying access for their children.
Most parents want stricter smartphone policies in schools.
- 89% of parents support restrictions on smartphones in their kids’ schools.
– 65% want stricter policies than those currently in place in their kids’ school.
– 1 in 5 public school parents would prefer to send their kids to a smartphone-free school.
– More than 70% of international (mainly primary) school parents would prefer to send their kids to a smartphone-free school.
- The most supported school policies are those that require students to switch off their phones and store them in lockers/bags throughout the school day. The least supported policy is that which allows older students to use their phones but restricts younger students.
Parents support collective action on smartphones and social media
- 73% support delaying smartphone ownership until at least 14 years.
- 64% of respondents support delaying social media access to at least 16 years.
- 85% of respondents would participate in a voluntary parent agreement to delay smartphone access.
About Look Up Hong Kong
Look Up Hong Kong is a grass-roots parent-led movement on a mission to champion childhood and empower parents, carers and educators to protect the mental and physical wellbeing of our children by delaying access to smartphones and social media. We aim to reduce the societal pressure to provide access to these technologies when we know our kids are not ready and allow parents to navigate the digital world according to their values.
An HK-registered non-profit society, Look Up Hong Kong strives to bring families together to stand-up for healthier, happier childhoods. We believe in the importance of kids being kids in the real world, and that technology should be a force for good, that respects our children’s attention, contributes to their wellbeing and helps them flourish.
More Information
Bilingual website: www.lookup.hk
Sign the pact: www.parentpact.lookup.hk
About Ipsos
Ipsos is a global market research leader, operating in 90 markets with nearly 20,000 employees. Our research professionals provide a true understanding of citizens, consumers, and employees through surveys, social media monitoring, and qualitative techniques.