SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— The big debate over what age kids should have access to cellphones and social media took centerstage Tuesday night. A new national movement is getting attention in NEPA from educators, lawmakers and parents as 28/22 News reporter Avery Nape explains.

Scranton School District and the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office teamed up to share with parents a growing nationwide movement known as ‘Wait Until 8th.’ The movement encourages parents to wait until at least eighth grade to give their child a cell phone, giving that child a chance to learn and grow before they’re turned loose into the online world.

“You’re letting somebody hold the world in their hand, and that’s a really powerful thing, but it’s a really dangerous thing at the same time,” said Scranton School District Superintendent Erin Keating.

Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher added, “It’s a breeding ground for bad decisions, especially for young people, and once you ring that bell, once you put something in writing, once you put something online, there’s no un-ringing it.”

Bullying, explicit content, and online predators are at the top of the list when it comes to online dangers, but the social and psychological effects are not to be ignored. A 2024 report from the National Center for Health Statistics found that one in four teenagers with four hours or more of daily screen time have experienced symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Mother charged after teen son found severely malnourished

There’s also the social pressure for kids and teens to have a cell phone; A challenge many parents are trying to navigate. One woman Nape spoke with, the mother of a first grader, says her daughter is already asking for one.

“Already she’s asking me, like, ‘mom, when am I going to get a cell phone?’ and I’m like ‘I’m sorry, you’re not getting a cell phone for quite a long time,’” said Toni Snyder, a parent and Scranton resident.

She believes that before kids learn to socialize online, they need to first develop those skills face-to-face.

“You can hang out with your friends all you want in-person, we need to be able to- we need to build those social skills that I think a lot of students and children are lacking these days,” Snyder continued.

For the Wait Until 8th movement to work, it needs parents, teachers, and communities to band together, but it begins with education; Education for children on the positives and negatives of smartphones and social media, and education for parents on how they can ensure their child is using the internet responsibly.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to 28/22 News.