There is not much that the political parties can agree on, but one exception is bipartisan concern over the danger excessive smartphone use is posing to the educational, emotional and mental health development of the nation’s young people.

Both of Connecticut’s senators, Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, have played a lead role in trying to get Washington to act. And both are working with Republicans in doing so.

This past week the Senate approved the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, by a 91-3 vote. Blumenthal, a Democrat, joined with Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., in introducing the legislation. KOSA would require social media companies to better insulate users under age 17 from inappropriate content. And it would require companies to provide parents with greater control to restrict use by their kids. Also, social media companies would have to provide a dedicated page to report harmful content. Enforcement would fall to the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general.

Unfortunately, there will be no action on the bill anytime soon in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, among the most inactive in decades in terms of getting legislation passed. The House shut down early for its summer break of several weeks.

Meanwhile, Connecticut’s junior senator, Chris Murphy, recently joined with Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah in introducing the Smart Kids Not Smartphones Act. The Murphy-Romney proposal has less teeth than the KOSA legislation. It is meant to encourage schools to limit smartphone use. It does not demand compliance. That is the better approach. It would be an overreach by Washington to provide a one-size-fits-all mandate for schools across the country.

The legislation, if adopted, would require the U.S. Education Department to create a recognition award for schools and school districts that develop effective policies prohibiting smartphone use during instructional hours. More importantly, it would mandate that the department publish guidelines for smartphone policies and enforcement, basing that guidance on success stories.

Chances are if the bill is to advance it will have to be re-introduced after the 2024 election, with Murphy finding a new co-sponsor. A former Republican candidate for president and once a party leader, Romney fell out of favor in the GOP for acting with integrity. Romney twice voted to convict President Trump after impeachment by the House. He is not seeking re-election.

How serious a concern is excessive smartphone use? In 2023 the U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued a health advisory that, among other things, urged parents to act like parents by setting limits on phone use. Murthy further stated that there is a need to develop health and safety standards, based on research, for smartphones and other technology platforms.

He called on tech companies to share internal data so that researchers can better assess the health impact of their products. Murthy said there is especially a need to restrict features designed specifically to “prey on developing brains and contribute to excessive use.” The KOSA legislation tries to address some of that, but more congressional action may well be needed.

This June, the surgeon general went further and said he would push for congressionally approved warning labels on social media platforms, cautioning that excessive use might damage adolescents’ mental health. It would be akin to warnings that appear on tobacco and alcohol products.

Any parent or teacher who has watched teens obsessively staring at their screens knows this is no joke, but a genuine concern.

A Pew Research Center study found about 95% of youth ages 13-17 report using a social media platform, with more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly.” The “almost constant” number may well be higher, because the survey depended on respondents conceding their use was excessive.

A scholarly article, published in the journal “Frontiers in Psychiatry,” pulled together evidence from numerous studies on smartphone use among adolescents and young adults. What they found is grim.

“Excessive smartphone use is associated with difficulties in cognitive-emotion regulation, impulsivity, impaired cognitive function, addiction to social networking, shyness and low self-esteem. Medical problems include sleep problems, reduced physical fitness, unhealthy eating habits, pain and migraines, reduced cognitive control and changes in the brain's gray matter volume,” it concluded.

Certainly, students should not be on their phones in school. But while many schools have policies with some level of restriction, enforcement is spotty. Trying to keep students off their phones can be a constant battle for teachers, taking away instructional time.

The solution is ordering students to put away their smartphones when arriving at school (and providing them a safe way to do so), only retrieving them at day’s end.

Some parents express concern about not being in constant contact with their kids. Too bad. Give your kids some space. If it is an emergency, call the school.

With bipartisan support, the Florida and Indiana legislatures passed laws requiring school districts to ban smartphone use during academic time. The effectiveness of the state-mandate approach will be tested when schools resume after summer.

Legislatures in other states have also debated such policies. At the start of the most recent Connecticut legislative session, Gov. Ned Lamont referenced the issue.

“Social media is often anti-social, and too much smartphone use makes you stupid,” Lamont said in his address to the legislature.

The governor has instructed Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker to create a model policy on restricting smartphone use in schools. That is now in the works. If adopted by State Board of Education, the policy could be used by schools in the state. It would not be mandatory.

Given growing concerns, state legislation may be needed to give restrictions the force of law.

Paul Choiniere is the former editorial page editor of The Day, now retired. He can be reached at p.choiniere@yahoo.com.