For many children who are discovering the influence of new technologies, it is impossible to live far from the screen. Difficult to escape the virtual and live away from the Internet after the invasion of smartphones, tablets, computers. The risks for children of this generation "digital native" are very numerous. The first risk of reliance on new technologies is the isolation that can result in the case of the child who begins to no longer maintain social contacts with those around him. The child no longer prefers to go out to play with his friends, or hold a discussion with his family, he is constantly attracted by his screen and feels satisfied and happy only when he is in front of his computer.
There is also another risk, that of discovering violence and pornography by surfing, without the parents' knowledge, on sites that offer content intended for adults. To discover sexuality must be instructive, pedagogical and progressive. However, the discovery of sex on the Internet shocked the child, even traumatized him and pushed him to develop a very bad perception of sexuality.
Cybercrime also remains a potential risk of excessive exposure of children to the Internet. Children can become victims of cyber-sex offenders who are lying in wait for them. These criminals can be men as well as women, and be of any age. The ease of getting in touch with people across the Internet promotes this kind of dating and requires parents to be extra careful.
Technology simply wiped out the outdoor games from children and this is very alarming!
@elizahfhaye
Very true!
Physical activities are more important in the early age of humans to build them physically and mentally strong.
I remember when as a kid mom and dad would tell us, kids, to go out and play to get us out of their hair so to speak...
It is alarming and startling how the famous outdoor games have suddenly been wiped from the surface of the earth (or so it seems). Its alarming and depressing.
Very true.
I would say our society is very naive in regard to the damage this is causing to children...
These are good points and I would add what damage is simply being caused to the brain? How is it being rewired to cope with this reality?
This is worrying and a completely different aspect to the whole discussion. When a parent buys their child a smartphone are there any restrictions? I would guess in most cases there aren't and that is extremely worrying!
It would benefit many adults to get off their phones and spend time outside as well. I definitely notice the benefits of being outdoors for at least an hour everyday.
I agree with you man. These are the signs of being addicted to your phone, and I'm pretty sure that most people can agree that they are, and kids especially don't even know it when they are, and its dangerous.
Two of the largest investors in Apple are urging the iPhone maker to take action against smartphone addiction among children over growing concerns about the effects of technology and social media on the youth. The group urged Apple to offer tools to help children avoid addiction and give parents more options to protect their children’s health through monitoring usage. Apple’s iOS already offers limited parental controls, including restrictions on apps, use of features such as location sharing and access to certain kinds of content.
But the investors said that Apple should allow parents to be able set the age of the user of the phone on setup, and implement limits on screen time, hours of the day the phone can be used and block social media services.
They also proposed that Apple should establish an expert committee including child development specialists, which should produce annual reports, and offer Apple’s vast information to researchers on the issue.
The investors cited several studies on the negative effects on children’s mental and physical health caused by heavy usage of smartphones and social media. These range from distractions in the classroom and issues around focus on educational tasks to higher risks of suicide and depression.
These are some good indicators as to the level of addiction. I'd go further and say any of these signs would be a clear signal that addiction may very well be present!
You always have your phone on hand You can’t function without your smartphone You take your phone with you to the bathroom You are constantly checking your phone You are on the phone even when you are eating or watching TVThanks for this contribution to the discussion!
Thanks for the valuable comment and advice @muscleroast.com
depression to overeating as a comfort to them while lonely... get them involved in summer sports or something fun like playing outside on jungle gym swings at parks... the pool or creek or cannoning or winter sports too...help them find friends with similar interests ...
I am so guilty of this. Yet I go for weekends in nature retreats!
Lost my phone 2 weeks ago, didn't have it for 3 days. I was happy I lost it, I actually was present in the world for once instead of just staring at that stupid screen every 3 seconds.
That's why we need to get our children outside to play and only let them be on their gadgets with parental care...
Kids spend far too much time playing with their phones these days and not nearly enough time playing sports that encourage teamwork and physical activity. We need to change this trend!
Does a Bear Shit In The woods?