Parents ‘crying’ over viral anti-smartphone ad for Siroko

A poignant new ad highlighting the tragic impact of phone addiction among teenagers is leaving parents in tears – as experts say society is at a “tipping point” in the epidemic.

The advert for Siroko, a Spanish sportswear brand, highlights the sad reality for many families, where arguments over phone use are now considered the norm.

Tears in his eyes come as Prince Harry warned in a discussion this week that smartphones are “stealing young people’s childhoods”.

“How much life is your phone consuming,” the ad asks viewers – around 20 million of whom have viewed the spot on TikTok since it aired on September 16.

The one-minute, not-so-accidental PSA about the horrors of smartphone addiction shows a young girl receiving a phone as a gift — and how quickly she becomes addicted to the device, Today reported.

As she does everything phone-wielding teenagers do, from taking selfies to trying viral dances with friends, she quickly tires, turning from a bubbly teenager into a stressed and exhausted version of herself.

In quick succession, we see scenes of her falling asleep in class, being shocked by internet pornography, subjected to online harassment and much more – culminating in complete panic when her parents try to take her away. ‘device.

The tragic commercial ends on a happier note, as the girl discovers a bike in the garage and takes it out for a spin – with encouraging results.

And while the ultimate goal may have been to sell sportswear, parents were quick to embrace the message, calling the ad “fantastic” — and Super Bowl-worthy.

“Oh my God, this commercial made me cry. I have a 6 year old daughter and I am terrified of what the future will look like with a digital device in her life,” one mother worried.

“Our adorable children deserve better than that,” sighs another.

“It touches you deeply,” confessed one parent.

“Why did that make me cry,” asked yet another.

A new study from Finland found that teenage girls spend more than five hours a day on their phones and are mostly addicted to social media, The Post reported.

“The implications of nearly six hours of daily smartphone use and its associations with adolescent well-being are serious,” the study authors write.

And some familiar with the subject say things are quickly coming to a head.

“This year, 2024, marks a turning point,” predicted social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, in a conversation with Prince Harry first reported by Fortune.

“Terrible things have happened to our children. We see it now…I don’t want to blame any parent because we didn’t know it 10 years ago,” he said.