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Young Writer Reflects on Cellphone Disconnect
Carly Stone, 17, pens essay on how phones have distanced people instead of connecting them.
Mar. 15, 2026 at 10:51am
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In a Young Writers Project submission, 17-year-old Carly Stone from Springfield, Vermont reflects on how cellphones and social media have created distance between people instead of bringing them closer together. She expresses frustration with the normalization of "ghosting" and the way phones are used for games, videos, and social media instead of real communication.
Why it matters
Stone's essay touches on broader concerns about the impact of technology on youth and human connection. As more people, especially young people, rely on digital devices for socializing, there are growing worries about the negative effects on mental health, in-person relationships, and the ability to discern truth from fiction online.
The details
In her piece, Stone laments how cellphones and social media have replaced genuine communication and face-to-face interactions. She expresses frustration with features like "open" and "read" that make people question the status of their relationships. Stone argues that phones were meant to connect people, but have instead become a distraction and "lifeline" that disconnects us from reality and real relationships.
- The Young Writers Project essay was published on March 15, 2026.
The players
Carly Stone
A 17-year-old writer from Springfield, Vermont who submitted the essay "The Cellphone Between You and Me" to the Young Writers Project.
Young Writers Project
A creative, online community of teen writers and visual artists that started in Burlington, Vermont in 2006. The organization publishes the work of young Vermonters on its website youngwritersproject.org.
Abigail Balon
A 15-year-old visual artist from Panton, Vermont who created the artwork "A Desk Less Cluttered" that accompanied Stone's essay.
Susan Reid
The Executive Director of the Young Writers Project.
What they’re saying
“I don't understand why 'ghosting' is so normalized.What happened to communication?”
— Carly Stone
“Communication is key to a successful relationship' — that's what every relationshipadvice website or video will tell you,but no one listens.”
— Carly Stone
“It should be used to connect with long distance friends and family.It should be a privilege.Instead, we expect it.”
— Carly Stone
The takeaway
Stone's essay highlights the growing concern that technology, particularly cellphones and social media, is creating distance between people instead of bringing them closer together. Her reflections on the normalization of "ghosting" and the way phones are used more for distraction than genuine connection resonate with broader discussions about the impact of digital devices on youth, mental health, and human relationships.
