I didn't read the article so I don't know if this was mentioned, but the first thing that headline brought to mind is the recent (just became big in the last 2 to 4 years, I think) obsession that American teenage girls have with their goddamn cell phones. I have a bunch of cousins that are in the 13 to 17 age range, and I see them three of four times a year for family reunions, get togethers, what not. They're (for the most part) well-adjusted, nice and intelligent girls, but NONE of them can put down their cell phone. Ever. Constantly texting, constantly looking at that screen, doing whatever. It's sad, really. I'm 24, so it wasn't very long ago that I was in high school. Girls, or guys, in my day (ha!) had cell phones, yeah, but we weren't obsessed with them and constantly texting or playing with them. I have a few friends who are teaching now at the high school and middle school levels, and they say it's gotten out of hand. Kids don't even pay attention in class because of the preoccupation with the phones. And I don't want to oversimplify it, I might be wrong, but I think the cell phone obsession is worse with girls than it is with boys.
One of my uncles (of the aforementioned texting cousins) actually took away her phone for a while, because her behavior in social situations becoming completely disrespectful and inappropriate - if family or friends were over, she would just sit on the couch staring at her phone, with her thumbs flying away on the keypad.
I don't know if that has anything to do with the discussion or whatever, but it's something I've noticed. Cell phones are great for a lot of reasons, but they're also bad news when they start negatively affecting young kids school work and social skills, etc.
I think our man Bono said something once about cell phones being "dangerous." And then asked us all to donate $1000 to his AIDS foundation or something.