Technology

See the viral bike video that's resonating with phone-weary parents around the world

“Why did this make me cry???”

NBC Universal, Inc.

Parents are saying that a viral video showing the horrors of teen phone addiction is “powerful” and “hits deep.”

The video ad, posted on Sept. 16 by the Spain-based sportswear brand Siroko, is captioned, “How much life is consumed by your phone?” and has more than 19 million views on TikTok.

The story in the video is about a young girl who is excited to receive a cell phone for Christmas. She very quickly becomes attached to the device — texting from her bed, taking selfies, playing mobile games and typing while walking. She eats with her phone, is distracted by text messages while doing homework and performs a social media dance with friends.

@sirokocom

How much life is consumed by your phone? #sport #mentalhealth

♬ sonido original - Siroko

Despite a growing sense of fatigue, she can’t put the phone down.

The girl starts falling asleep in class, becomes the target of online bullying and accidentally finds porn on a website. When her parents try taking the phone away, she screams hysterically.

It’s only when the girl sees a bike in her garage that she reacts with wonder.

The video ends with the girl gliding down the street on a bike with the wind in her hair and a smile growing across her face.

Parents on Instagram and TikTok said the video’s message was “fantastic” and worthy of a Super Bowl ad placement. Comments (in a variety of languages) included:

  • “Why did this make me cry???”
  • “Childhood is worth protecting!”
  • “It is not about kids at all. It is about all of us. Kids are just mirrors.”
  • “Our sweet children deserve better than this!”
  • “This hits deep.”
  • “Omg this ad made me cry. I have a 6 year old and I am terrified at what the future looks like with a digital device in her life.”
  • “So powerful.”

Half of teens said they felt "addicted" to their phones in a 2016 Common Sense Media survey.

The survey also found that 72% of teens “feel the need to immediately respond” to phone notifications, and more than one-third of families say they argue over the topic of cell phones every day. 

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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