Children Screen Addiction
What is the tech industry doing to fix it?
The Decipher Daily — January 9, 2018
Since the first introduction to the iPhone back in 2007, adults have been addicted to looking down at their smartphones to get work done, to entertain themselves, and connect to the Internet. Naturally we are creatures of habit and addiction. However, we as adults, have stronger willpower to pull ourselves away from our addictions and habits. We are able to identify those habits and addictions that are costing us our health and mental stability. What about our children?
Thankfully, activist investor and a pension fund — Jana Partners LLC and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, or Calstrs — think it’s time for tech companies to address what some think is a public-health crisis: phone use addiction among the young. More specifically, activist investors are pointing the fingers at Apple — the leading tablet and smartphone making company in the world.
I completely agree with this initiative and believe that for one children are getting smart phones and tablets at a very young age. Forgive me for sounding like an old geezer, but I remember when I received my first flip phone at the age of 17 and my first smart phone at the age of 21. Kids in today’s time are receiving their first tablet or smartphone at 10 years of age. Some even earlier.
Though I may not have any kids I completely understand the parental need to allow your child to communicate with her parents and any moment’s notice. So I don’t blame parents for placing these tech devices in their kids hands. Where I do place my blame, similar to the activist investors, is with the big tech companies. These tech companies need to provide better parental controls on these devices. As stated above, most specifically iPhone and iPad. Read more about this developing story. I know I will.
Question of the Day
What do you think should be done to fix children’s screen addiction? Do you think it’s up to the parents, the tech companies, or both?
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
— Frederick Douglass
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