The Virginia Digital Independence Pledge is a group of parents & caregivers who believe one of the most important gifts we can give kids is a childhood free of smartphones & social media and rich with face-to-face community, real-world independence, creativity, outdoor exploration, and intergenerational engagement.
We understand there is no safe age for children and teens to use social media and smartphones. We know that these platforms and devices are neither necessary or developmentally appropriate throughout childhood - including adolescence.
Instead, we are choosing various alternatives (talk-text cell phones, landlines, or limited feature phones).
The goal is progress, never perfection.
Want to see changes in how our culture is addressing concerns related to screen time & childhood? Join the Distraction Free Schools Project, our fully volunteer led legislative team. We are a group of parents across the Commonwealth working on bi-partisan solutions to some of the biggest issues facing children & teens today. From in-school access to social media, to App Stores with unclear and unhelpful age ratings for parents, to establishing regulations on Artificial Intelligence that will protect children, without slowing down innovation we have a a strong coalition of volunteers who are excited for what’s to come!
Generations prior, parents and legislators worked on seat belt laws, age restrictions on cigarettes, banning led paint from being used on child’s toys, and more. Our generation’s fight is to protect children from unsafe online practices. Together we can protect our kids and give them a safer childhood!
Virginia’s Reclaiming Childhood Task Force has created the Commonwealth Day of Play! Want to plan your own Day of Play? Check out these resources!