In this episode of the Book Banter show, we delve into “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt. It focuses on the mental health crisis among teenagers born after 1995, known as Generation Z, and argues that a major cause of this crisis is the transition from a "play-based childhood" to a "phone-based childhood". We explore the four foundational harms of this digital shift: social deprivation, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, and addiction, emphasizing the detrimental effects on girls specifically. Haidt argues that social media platforms exploit girls' inherent need for social connection and approval, fueling anxiety and depression through constant social comparison and curated portrayals of unattainable beauty standards. He also discusses boys' experiences, highlighting their increasing withdrawal from the real world into video games and pornography. We conclude the talk by proposing solutions, calling for a collaborative effort between governments, tech companies, schools, and parents to create a healthier environment for children, emphasizing the need for delaying smartphone and social media access, promoting phone-free schools, and encouraging more unsupervised play and childhood independence. Ultimately, the book aims to raise awareness about the impact of technology on childhood and advocate for a more balanced and holistic approach to raising children in the digital age.