Gov & Politics Health Utah Gov. Cox wants you and your family to unplug this week. Here’s why

Cox urges Utahns to celebrate ‘Family Connection Week’ by putting down screens to ‘reconnect’ with loved ones

SAL LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has declared this week as “Family Connection Week” to encourage Utahns to put down their phones and “disconnect to reconnect” with loved ones.

“Spending quality time together strengthens our bonds, fosters better communication and creates lasting memories that carry us through life’s challenges,” Cox said in a prepared statement. “This week is a chance to really listen, connect and to make sure the people around us know they are valued.”

From Monday to Friday this week, Cox wants Utahns to dedicate time to “unplug from devices and reconnect through meaningful, screen-free activities,” he office said in a news release. “This special week encourages families to be fully present with one another to create lasting memories and stronger bonds.

It’s the latest way Cox has encouraged Utahns to cut back on social media. He’s been an outspoken critic of the addictive nature of social media algorithms and especially their negative impacts on kids. In 2023, his office launched a public awareness campaign urging parents to learn about the harms social media can have on youth.

That campaign announcement highlighted a 2023 survey of 609 Utahns conducted by Lighthouse Research that found Utah parents reported 76% of their children use social media in some capacity, 57% use it seven days a week, and 53% use it one to three hours a day.

That survey also found 88% of Utahns said social media had a detrimental impact on children and youth.

According to another study published last month, researchers at the University of California San Francisco found that as preteens used more social media, their depressive symptoms increased. Using data from nearly 12,000 kids ages 9 to 10 and then three years later at 12 and 13, the study found on average, kids’ social media use rose from seven to 73 minutes per day over the three years of the study, and their depressive symptoms went up 35%.

In the announcement for “Family Connection Week,” Cox’s office data from the Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) survey that “supports the importance of shared time, especially mealtime.”

“Mealtimes are critical to foster communication and connection. In fact, Utah youth who sit down to eat at least one meal a week with their family are 45% less likely to report feeling depressed, 70% less likely to use vape products and 54% less likely to consider suicide,” the governor’s office said, citing the SHARP survey.

“At the same time, excessive screen time — especially on social media — can take a toll on mental health and family cohesion,” the governor’s office added. “Positive, in-person interactions lay the foundation for resilience and safety for children and adults alike. Family Connection Week encourages families to ‘disconnect to reconnect’  and take time to talk, laugh and connect without distractions.”

In a Youtube video announcing the “Family Connection Week” declaration, First Lady Abby Cox said their family this week will be “making a conscious effort to put down our screens and be fully present with one another, and we invite you to do the same.”

“We are carving out time to play board games, cook meals, and participate in recreational activities together,” Abby Cox said.

Encouraging Utahns to learn more about the effort, Cox’s office pointed to a page on the state’s website that offers a list of activities Utahns can do in their areas.

The website also offers resources for parents, including stress management advice, parenting tips, child development information, and a directory for assistance programs for food, housing, access to physical and mental health care, affordable child care, utilities assistance, and more.

Written by Katie McKellar for Utah News Dispatch