Is the Use of Mobile Devices Harmful to Kids?
Steve Jobs is long gone, but his past words still continue to make the news. In The New York Times article "Steve Jobs Was a Low-Tech Parent," Nick Bilton refers to a 2010 conversation in which he said to Jobs, "So, your kids must love the iPad?” Jobs' reply was surprising: “They haven’t used it. We limit how much technology our kids use at home.”
The same article mentions other high-profile tech personalities who have either blocked the use of devices completely for their kids or at best restricted use to limited hours or only on weekends. The primary concern these parents have is around exposure to harmful content, such as pornography and violence, and to a certain extent the likelihood of getting addicted to devices.
Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles recently published a study that concluded that removing gadgets from children for just a few days immediately improves their social skills. These studies indicate that it is not appropriate for kids to use modern devices. However, there is always another way to look at the situation.
Tablets can help in early childhood education. There are apps that can help children learn numbers and letters in a fun and interactive way. There is also the danger of kids receiving excessive passive content from tablets, such as from watching videos.
The time spent between one-way consumption of content and using device features to create something new is indeed something that should be put into context as Geet Sethi, former billiards world champion, says in his book Success vs Joy:
I often tell my 13-year old son, 'do not be a passive person receiving too much entertainment through TV. Try and see less TV and instead do something that will provide entertainment through your own efforts instead of merely receiving it.'
Sethi is probably referring to an era where TV was the predominant source of entertainment, but he makes a valid point and highlights the virtue of doing more than just passively receiving content the content. And regarding the issue of content control for kids on the Internet, initiatives by some organizations can help build a safer Internet.
Too many time limits imposed on kids or a complete ban of devices can also have negative side effects. Parents run the risk of raising less-aware children. Life is and has always been all about balance, and excess of anything is bad. The answer probably lies in defining the right extent of use rather than not letting kids use devices at all.
Do you agree?
