DMV Unplugged promotes collective action and policy change to liberate DC area children from the harms of phone and technology based childhoods.

What can we do together?

  • DELAY Smartphones & Tablets

  • Support Phone-Free Schools

  • Rethink Tech in Schools — pause and prioritize learning and wellbeing over the tech industry’s false promises.

  • Give kids more independence, free play, and screen free experiences

“Schools should ensure that classroom learning and social time are phone-free experiences. Parents, too, should create phone-free zones around bedtime, meals and social gatherings to safeguard their kids’ sleep and real-life connections — both of which have direct effects on mental health. And they should wait until after middle school to allow their kids access to social media. This is much easier said than done, which is why parents should work together with other families to establish shared rules, so no parents have to struggle alone or feel guilty when their teens say they are the only one who has to endure limits.”

Vivek Murthy, M.D., US Surgeon General

“Asking students to drill down on their schoolwork amid an array of digital distractions isn’t just bad for test scores; it is inimical to learning. And it is fundamentally unfair to our children.”

Jean Twenge, Phd, psychologist and author

“Teach kids to think and I’ll guarantee they’ll be able to use tech; teach kids to tech and there’s no guarantee they’ll ever be able to think”

Jared Cooney Horvath, PhD, neuroscientist and author

“There is little robust evidence on digital technology’s added value in education…A lot of evidence comes from those trying to sell it”

UNESCO, Technology in Education: GEM Report 2023

DMV Unplugged was formed as a result of the shared passion and determination of Liza Schalch and Keena McAvoy. With experience in healthcare, education, and digital wellness, the pair joined forces after meeting in national advocacy spaces focused on minimizing the harms of technology overuse for children.  They advocate with and inform national and state legislators, local school boards, and parent groups. Liza and Keena are members of Fairplay's Screens in Schools workgroup, the Distraction Free Schools Policy Project, the Tech Safe Learning Coalition and the Smartphone Free Childhood US, where Keena is on the leadership team. DMV Unplugged is driving change in technology use norms at home and at school so that the fundamental needs and experiences of a growing child and family are prioritized over the incentives of the technology industry.  Most importantly, DMV Unplugged's goal is to make learning about these issues and taking powerful collective action steps in homes, schools, and communities as easy as possible.  Let's change the norms together!!  

DMV Unplugged is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our Employer Identification Number is 39-3491506. Donations are tax-deductible.