‘More Social, Less Media’ event planned for Tuesday evening in Idaho Falls

IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho PTA is inviting families, educators, students, and community members to gather for an evening focused on connection over screens at the “More Social, Less Media” event, set for Tuesday, Sept. 30, in the Compass Academy auditorium.

The event, celebrating the Idaho PTA’s 120th anniversary, is inspired by the research of social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of “The Anxious Generation.” Organizers say the evening will explore ways to balance technology use with in-person interaction, especially as concerns grow over the impact of social media and smartphones on children’s mental health.

Festivities begin at 6 p.m. and include free pizza, ice cream, and soda for the first 200 attendees, addresses from youth and community leaders, and a community resource fair. The keynote speaker, psychiatrist Dr. Matt Larsen, will discuss how families can encourage screen-free social connections.
Organizers hope the event will spark community-wide efforts to:

Delay smartphones for children
Postpone social media use until later ages
Make schools phone-free zones
Restore unstructured play and face-to-face interaction

“Together, we’re pledging to use technology with purpose, a plan, and the wisdom to pause,” said Idaho PTA President Jamie Braithwaite. “We believe this is a step in restoring face-to-face communication in order to foster a greater sense of community for our students and our schools.”

For those unable to attend in person, the event will be livestreamed here.