Jérôme Gence, France

France, Nepal: The screen generation

For some time now, science and medicine have also been dealing with the omnipresent smartphone, coveted even by small children. And rightly so. There is largely consensus about its negative effects on the psyche, social and communication skills as well as on the ability to learn. Some neuroscientists are already talking about ‘digital dementia,’ while others advocate banning cell phones at least at primary school age to focus on analog, namely direct human contact.

French photographer Jérôme Gence did a little research on this: Children and young people in France spend three hours a day staring at their cell phones, on which they receive over 230 messages every day. 50 percent of French families even use their cell phones during meals together. Even the WHO warns against putting smartphones in the hands of children under the age of three, as this can lead to sleep disorders. However, only 13 percent of parents heed the recommendation. And cellphone mania has now even spread to countries like Nepal. Jérôme has captured moments of this addiction in his photo series ‘The screen generation.’

Photographer: Jérôme Gence, France (Panos Pictures)

Jérôme Gence, born in 1984, grew up in the French overseas department of La Réunion. He studied in Paris and initially worked as a data analyst. In 2013, he began working as a photographer, retaining his interest in virtual worlds, even though he was soon confronted with actual disasters like an earthquake in Nepal.

One of his best-known reports documents the success of virtual pop stars on Japanese stages: holograms that are only projected but are cheered live by thousands of excited fans.

Credits Text: Peter-Matthias Gaede for UNICEF