The manufactures of these devices need to be held liable for the creation and distribution of a harmful product. If it can be shown the phones have an effect on a student's mental health, the executives at these companies and the companies themselves should be made to pay for any damages caused.
Smartphones are not harmful to everyone (unless you're also going to claim that smartphones are dangerous to you and as an adult you are not responsible for your actions when buying one).
Apple nor Samsung nor Google sells iPhones to minors - they are not able to get a contract for phone service. These devices are sold to adults and it is the adults that give the devices to children.
Yeah, unfortunately kids having smartphones is very often a case of parental negligence. Just like some parents would buy little Jimmy GTA without even bothering to think about whether that's appropriate, some parents will get their young child a pipe to the worst parts of the Internet without thought.
It's not negligent to allow your kid to be free on the internet nor is it negligent to let them play games not meant for their age group.
It's negligent to let those affect the social behaviour of the kid by themselves. Most kids get lessons by their parents and freedom to do what they want.
