tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/screen-time-limits-89576/articlesScreen time limits – The Conversation2023-08-25T12:27:42Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2044362023-08-25T12:27:42Z2023-08-25T12:27:42ZScreen time is contributing to chronic sleep deprivation in tweens and teens – a pediatric sleep expert explains how critical sleep is to kids’ mental health<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/544646/original/file-20230824-2188-dbvyvh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=45%2C36%2C5961%2C3971&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">When teens can’t sleep, they often scroll online well into the night, which only exacerbates the problem.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/teenager-sending-email-from-smart-phone-in-her-bed-royalty-free-image/537460890?phrase=teens+screens&adppopup=true">ljubaphoto/E+ via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>With the start of a new school year comes the inevitable battle to get kids back into a healthy bedtime routine. In many cases, this likely means resetting boundaries on screen use, especially late in the evenings. But imposing and enforcing those rules can be easier said than done.</p>
<p>A growing body of research is finding strong <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101414">links between sleep, mental health and screen time</a> in teens and tweens – the term for pre-adolescent children around the ages of 10 to 12. Amid an <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7219a1.htm">unprecedented mental health crisis</a> in which some <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/mental-health/index.htm">42% of adolescents</a> in the U.S. are suffering from mental health issues, teens are also <a href="https://theconversation.com/school-start-times-and-screen-time-late-in-the-evening-exacerbate-sleep-deprivation-in-us-teenagers-179178">getting too little sleep</a>. </p>
<p>And it is a vicious cycle: Both a lack of sleep and the heightened activity involved in the consumption of social media and video games before bedtime can exacerbate or even trigger anxiety and depression that warrant intervention.</p>
<p>I am the lead physician of the sleep center at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where I <a href="https://www.seattlechildrens.org/directory/maida-lynn-chen/">study various pediatric sleep disorders</a>. Our team of physicians and providers routinely observe firsthand the negative effects of excessive screen time, and particularly social media, both of which affect not only sleep, but also the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/C2017-0-04667-0">physical and mental health</a> of our patients. </p>
<h2>Relationship between mental health and poor sleep</h2>
<p>Research has long shown a clear relationship between mental health and sleep: Poor sleep can lead to poor mental health and vice versa. People with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.chc.2020.09.003">depression and anxiety commonly have</a> <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/insomnia">insomnia</a>, a condition in which people have trouble falling or staying asleep, or both, or getting refreshing sleep. That ongoing sleep deprivation further worsens the very depression and anxiety that caused the insomnia in the first place. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">A teen’s health, growth and emotional stability are linked to the quality and quantity of sleep.</span></figcaption>
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<p>What’s more, insomnia and poor-quality sleep may also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.chc.2020.09.003">blunt the benefits of therapy and medication</a>. At its worst, chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of suicide. One study found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-014-0170-3">just one hour less sleep</a> during the week was associated with “significantly greater odds of feeling hopeless, seriously considering suicide, suicide attempts and substance use.” </p>
<p>And what do young people do when lying in bed awake, frustrated and unable to sleep? You guessed it – far too often, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.11.069">they get on their smart devices</a>. </p>
<p>Studies across the world in over 120,000 youth ages 6 to 18 who engage in any sort of social media have repeatedly shown <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001%2Fjamapediatrics.2016.2341">worsened quality and decreased quantity of sleep</a>. This is happening across the globe, not just in the U.S. </p>
<h2>The strong pull of screens and social media</h2>
<p>Although social media has some benefits, I believe research makes it clear that there are significantly <a href="https://doi.org/10.1503%2Fcmaj.190434">more downsides to social media consumption</a> than upsides. </p>
<p>For one, scrolling social media requires being awake, and hence, displaces sleep.</p>
<p>Second, the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12351">light emitted from most hand-held devices</a>, even with a night filter, a blue light filter or both, is enough to decrease <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/melatonin-for-sleep-does-it-work">levels of melatonin</a>, the primary hormone that signals the onset of sleep. </p>
<p>When melatonin release is inhibited by staring at a lit device near bedtime, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073%2Fpnas.1418490112">falling asleep becomes more challenging</a>. For some people, melatonin supplements can help with inducing sleep. However, supplements cannot overcome the highly stimulating powers of internet content and light. </p>
<p>Third, and perhaps most problematic, is the content that young people are consuming. Taking in fast-paced imagery like that found on TikTok or video games <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2012.01060.x">before bedtime is disruptive</a> because the brain and body are highly stimulated by these exposures, and require time to settle back into a state that is conducive to sleep. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Teens are often ‘night owls,’ which adds to sleep deprivation.</span></figcaption>
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<p>But it’s not just the speed of the imagery flitting by. Media content can disrupt both nondream and dream sleep. Have you ever fallen asleep watching a disturbing thriller or a horror movie and had scenes from that movie <a href="https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/life/2019/02/06/perchance-dream-how-binge-watching-social-media-affect-your-dreams-sleep/2796568002/#">enter your dreams</a>? And it’s not just dreams that are affected – the brain also <a href="https://doi.org/10.5935%2F1984-0063.20180046">may not sustain deep nondream sleep</a> since it is still processing those fast-paced images. These intrusions in your sleep can be very disruptive to overall quality and quantity of sleep. </p>
<p>Worst of all, social media can contribute to FOMO – short for the fear of missing out. This can occur when a teen becomes enmeshed with an influencer or role model through posts, reels and stories, all of which are cultivated to reflect unrealistic perfection, not reality.</p>
<p>In addition, research has found a clear link between <a href="https://theconversation.com/mounting-research-documents-the-harmful-effects-of-social-media-use-on-mental-health-including-body-image-and-development-of-eating-disorders-206170">social media consumption and poor body image</a> in kids and teens, as well as overall <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101414">worse mental health and worsened sleep problems</a>. </p>
<p>These issues are troubling enough that in May 2023, <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/23/surgeon-general-issues-new-advisory-about-effects-social-media-use-has-youth-mental-health.html">the surgeon general issued a statement</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/23/health/surgeon-general-social-media-mental-health.html">warning of the dangers of social media</a> and encouraging caregivers, teachers and policymakers to work together to create a safer online environment. </p>
<h2>A state of chronic sleep deprivation</h2>
<p>Making <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-sleep-do-you-really-need-156819">sleep a high priority</a> is a cornerstone of overall health and mental health, and it is also key to staying alert and attentive during the school day.</p>
<p>Multiple <a href="https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/6630/AAP-endorses-new-recommendations-on-sleep-times">professional medical</a> and <a href="https://www.thensf.org/how-many-hours-of-sleep-do-you-really-need/">scientific organizations</a> have recommended that teens sleep eight to 10 hours per night. But only 1 in 5 high schoolers <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/07/health/teen-sleep-deprivation-wellness/index.html">come close to that</a>. </p>
<p>Some of this is due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/school-start-times-and-screen-time-late-in-the-evening-exacerbate-sleep-deprivation-in-us-teenagers-179178">school start times</a> that don’t align with the natural rhythms of most teens, so they don’t fall asleep early enough on weekdays. </p>
<p>Teens who don’t get enough sleep <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2011.03.002">may suffer from weak academic performance</a>, a lack of organizational skills and mediocre decision-making. Teens don’t have fully formed frontal lobes, the part of the brain that controls impulse and judgment. Sleep deprivation <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2018.03.012">further impairs those behaviors</a>. This, in turn, may lead to poor decisions regarding <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111%2Facer.12618">drug and alcohol use</a>, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6703a1.htm">driving under the influence</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037%2Fhea0000753">sexual promiscuity</a>, fighting or the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12044">use of weapons</a>, and more. And these behaviors can start <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsw004">in middle school</a>, if not earlier.</p>
<p>In addition, sleep deprivation is directly linked with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161%2FCIRCULATIONAHA.108.766410">high blood pressure</a>, <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-your-heart">heart attacks</a> and the <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/lack-of-sleep-and-diabetes">development of diabetes</a> in adulthood. Lack of adequate sleep is also linked with <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147%2FAHMT.S219594">childhood and adolescent obesity</a>. Undesired weight gain occurs with sleep deprivation though a series of complex mechanisms, including <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/obesity-and-sleep">shifts in metabolism</a>, a more <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186%2Fs12966-016-0428-0">sedentary lifestyle and poor dietary</a> choices. </p>
<h2>A way forward</h2>
<p>So what can be done to pry teens and tweens away from their screens? Keeping goals realistic is key, and sometimes it is helpful to start by focusing on just one goal.</p>
<p>Parents need to prioritize sleep for the entire household and model good screen time habits. Caregivers too often <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/08/22/how-teens-and-parents-navigate-screen-time-and-device-distractions/">send mixed messages</a> around screen time use, given their own bad habits.</p>
<p>Ultimately, parents and caregivers need to recognize the warning signs of <a href="https://parentingscience.com/signs-of-sleep-deprivation/">sleep deprivation</a> and <a href="https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=overview-of-mood-disorders-in-children-and-adolescents-90-P01634">progressive mood</a> and <a href="https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/Anxiety_Disorder_Resource_Center/Your_Adolescent_Anxiety_and_Avoidant_Disorders.aspx">anxiety disorders</a>. Seek professional help for disordered sleep, troubled mental health or both, keeping in mind that finding <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-the-mental-health-crisis-in-children-and-teens-worsens-the-dire-shortage-of-mental-health-providers-is-preventing-young-people-from-getting-the-help-they-need-207476">mental health professionals can take time</a>. </p>
<p>When it comes to digital media, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding screens for <a href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/138/5/e20162592/60321/Media-Use-in-School-Aged-Children-and-Adolescents">at least an hour before going to bed</a> and not sleeping with devices in the bedroom. </p>
<p>For older kids who have homework to do online, avoiding screen use right before bedtime can feel next to impossible. What’s more, this rule tends to lead to <a href="https://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/teenagers/teen-talk/how-strict-parents-can-actually-make-their-teens-more-rebellious/">covert use of electronic devices</a>.</p>
<p>So if one hour before bedtime is too stringent, then start by avoiding media for even 15 or 30 minutes prior to going to sleep. Or if some media is needed as a compromise, try watching something passive, like TV, rather than engaging in social media apps like Snapchat. </p>
<p>Remember that not everything has to be done all at once – incremental changes can make a big difference over time.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/204436/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Maida Lynn Chen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Exposure to screens before bedtime can contribute to chronic sleep deprivation, which raises the risk for anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts.Maida Lynn Chen, Professor of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of WashingtonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2079222023-07-18T20:03:26Z2023-07-18T20:03:26ZIf your kid is home sick from school, is unlimited screen time OK?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533079/original/file-20230621-14332-vfjsad.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5559%2C3700&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Not so long ago, if a child was home sick from school, the main screen-based entertainment was daytime television. The options were limited to The Price is Right or reruns of Home and Away. </p>
<p>Fast forward to the present day and we have multiple streaming services, tablets, smartphones, and an endless reservoir of content made specifically to captivate children’s attention. Managing a child’s screen time when they’re home sick from school has taken on a whole new dimension.</p>
<p>For many parents, the challenge of juggling work and caring for a sick child at home inevitably leads to more TV or iPad. The digital world offers a convenient solution to keep children occupied and, to an extent, comforted. </p>
<p>But should being unwell automatically equate to increased or even unlimited screen time?</p>
<h2>Illness should not automatically equal unlimited screens</h2>
<p>We are child development researchers specialising in child-technology interaction and have spent a lot of time thinking about this question. The answer depends on several factors and understanding these elements can help parents manage their child’s screen time effectively and healthily.</p>
<p>The comfort and distraction derived from favourite digital activities – whether it be episodes of Bluey, video games, YouTube videos, or even chatting to friends on social media – might alleviate the discomfort of being unwell. Screen use has been linked to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0007091221004311">reducing children’s anxiety and pain levels</a> during painful procedures in the hospital.</p>
<p>Still, we should also try to avoid a pattern where every minor illness is seen as a gateway to endless screen time. Over time, this could lead to a situation where children might exaggerate or even feign symptoms of illness to gain extra screen time. </p>
<p>This may also inadvertently teach children that digital consumption is the go-to method for coping with illness-related discomfort or boredom, which could limit their ability to develop healthier <a href="https://www.seattlechildrens.org/health-safety/keeping-kids-healthy/development/activities-for-children-sick-at-home/">coping skills</a>. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.4793">Recent research</a> also suggests using technology to calm young children too frequently might be linked to higher levels of <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/resources/practice-guides/developmental-differences-children-who-have-experienced-adversity-guide-no1#:%7E:text=Emotional%20dysregulation%20is%20when%20a,dramatic%20and%20excessive%20emotional%20responses">emotional dysregulation</a> (such as angry outbursts). </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-am-i-online-research-shows-its-often-about-managing-emotions-208483">Why am I online? Research shows it's often about managing emotions</a>
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<h2>How old is your child?</h2>
<p>But a child’s age should also be considered. The Australian <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/resources/short-articles/too-much-time-screens#:%7E:text=no%20screen%20time%20for%20children,years%20(not%20including%20schoolwork).">screen time guidelines</a> for young children and toddlers are less than those for older children. </p>
<p>This means more guidance and support is needed to manage younger children’s use of screens. </p>
<p>But older children also need to have boundaries. Recent research suggests screen use triggers the <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/06/12/1180867083/tips-to-outsmart-dopamine-unhook-kids-from-screens-sweets">release of dopamine</a> – which makes you seek out or want to keep doing something – which helps explain why it can be so hard to disengage. There are also continued concerns about the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/23/health/surgeon-general-social-media-mental-health.html">mental health impacts</a> of young people’s social media use. </p>
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<img alt="A mother works while a child sleeps under her arm." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533080/original/file-20230621-4311-rj5ni6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533080/original/file-20230621-4311-rj5ni6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533080/original/file-20230621-4311-rj5ni6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533080/original/file-20230621-4311-rj5ni6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533080/original/file-20230621-4311-rj5ni6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533080/original/file-20230621-4311-rj5ni6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533080/original/file-20230621-4311-rj5ni6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">For many parents, juggling work and a sick child inevitably leads to screens.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tima Miroshnichenko/ Pexels</span></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-13-too-young-to-have-a-tiktok-or-instagram-account-199097">Is 13 too young to have a TikTok or Instagram account?</a>
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<h2>How sick is your child?</h2>
<p>The type of illness also plays a crucial role. Some illnesses, such as high fever or flu, necessitate <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-dos-and-donts-of-easing-cold-symptoms#">ample rest</a> to aid recovery.</p>
<p>Good quality sleep <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/news/media-releases/sleep-to-boost-your-immunity.html">boosts the immune system</a> helping fight off the infection more efficiently. </p>
<p>But illnesses like mild colds or conjunctivitis may not require as much additional rest, although a reasonable amount of downtime is generally beneficial. </p>
<p>In both scenarios, it’s important to monitor screen time, especially before bedtime. The stimulating effects of <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep/how-blue-light-affects-kids-sleep">screen light</a> can disrupt a child’s sleep, hindering the rest and recovery process. </p>
<h2>What are the pre-existing rules in your house?</h2>
<p>If your house already has screen time rules for non-school days (such as extra time on weekends or holidays), these can be applied or slightly relaxed when a child is home sick. </p>
<p>Having a baseline – even if it is more generous – makes some screen time limits during a sick day an expected norm. Maintaining these rules can help prevent a free-for-all scenario, which could complicate matters once the child recovers and needs to readjust to their regular schedule.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if there are no pre-existing rules for non-school days, introducing snap strict screen time regulations when a child is unwell may not be the best approach. Doing so could add an additional layer of stress for the child, who is already not feeling sick. </p>
<p>Instead, during these short-term illness periods, parents may choose to be more lenient with screen time, focusing on helping their child recover. Consider sitting down with your child and creating a list of other activities or possibilities that centre on rest and recuperation. Reading, playing with their pet, puzzles, art can all features on these lists. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/kids-screen-time-rose-by-50-during-the-pandemic-3-tips-for-the-whole-family-to-bring-it-back-down-193955">Kids' screen time rose by 50% during the pandemic. 3 tips for the whole family to bring it back down</a>
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<h2>Keep an eye on things</h2>
<p>Also, be sure to monitor what children are doing on their screens. Consider supporting decisions that help them rest and then switch off after an agreed period. For example, it might be easier to relax while watching a favourite movie rather than continuously watching new YouTube videos that change every five minutes. </p>
<p>It’s also of course essential to distinguish between entertainment screen use and schoolwork that must be completed on a computer or tablet. </p>
<p>Lastly, in full disclosure, one of the authors was sick with a stomach virus while working on this piece. So they also watched a lot of comfort television and scrolled through Twitter. We shouldn’t expect children to be better patients than adults.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207922/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jordy Kaufman has received funding from the Australian Department of Education and Training to research children’s use of technology for education. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jennifer M. Zosh is consulting for Sesame Workshop and has consulted with the Lego Foundation and the Lego Group.</span></em></p>Thanks to streaming services, mobiles and tablets, managing a sick child’s screen time has taken on a new dimension.Jordy Kaufman, Associate Professor, Swinburne University of TechnologyJennifer M. Zosh, Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, Penn StateLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1739752022-03-03T13:27:09Z2022-03-03T13:27:09ZInfants need lots of active movement and play – and there are simple ways to help them get it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/441827/original/file-20220120-9087-1togzru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=38%2C7%2C5075%2C3396&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Experts believe that infants should get some interactive floor-based physical activity two to three times a day.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mother-watching-baby-playing-with-ball-royalty-free-image/135385235?adppopup=true">Sam Edwards/OJO Images via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When people set personal fitness goals and establish their physical exercise routines, there’s a group of cuddly individuals that is often left out – infants! </p>
<p>Historically, infant active movement has been perceived as a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4503-5">personality characteristic</a>. It’s assumed that infants are plenty active on their own, without needing adult intervention to encourage movement.</p>
<p>However, research is revealing that the choices, behaviors and everyday habits of adults have a big influence on how much infants move.</p>
<p>I’m a <a href="https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-education-health-and-human-sciences/health-kinesiology/about-us/directory/danae-dinkel.php">physical activity teacher</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=T2U7pXkAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&alert_preview_top_rm=2&sortby=pubdate">researcher</a>. For the past five years I’ve conducted several studies exploring infant movement, seeking to identify what supports the development of lifelong physical activity habits. </p>
<p>I’ve learned that many parents and other caregivers want to encourage infants to actively play and move. However, they often don’t know for sure how much physical activity an infant needs, nor do they often recognize how their own behaviors might be limiting an infant’s physical activity. Fortunately, there are several easy – and fun – ways to add more physical activity to an infant’s daily life.</p>
<h2>Why infants need movement – and how much</h2>
<p>Study of infant movement is a relatively new field, so there is still a lot to learn. However, one of the field’s foundational studies was published in 1972, and it found that increased infant physical activity can <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nursingresearchonline/Abstract/1972/05000/THE_IMPACT_OF_PHYSICAL_PHYSIOLOGICAL_ACTIVITY_ON.3.aspx">improve motor development</a>. More recent research shows that increased infant movement can improve <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0082098">bone health</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-022-01248-6">personal-social development</a> – skills related to improving their independence or interacting with others, such as feeding themselves or waving goodbye.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/311664">World Health Organization</a> suggests that infants should be physically active several times a day, especially through interactive floor-based play. Similarly, the <a href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/fitness/Pages/Making-Fitness-a-Way-of-Life.aspx">American Academy of Pediatrics</a> recommends opportunities for interactive play throughout the day, along with at least 30 minutes of “tummy time” with an adult – which I’ll talk more about below.</p>
<p>Yet half the parents participating in our research reported that they <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jspn.12315">hadn’t heard</a> of these recommendations and did desire <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jspn.12315">more specific guidelines</a> on encouraging active play. </p>
<h2>What are the barriers?</h2>
<p>While research is ongoing, I and other researchers have identified three major barriers to infant active movement: screen time, restrictive devices and “gendered play” – gender-related stereotypes, beliefs and practices in relation to how children play. </p>
<p>The American Academy of Pediatrics and other organizations <a href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2591">discourage allowing infants any screen time</a> other than video chatting. However, a recent review found that children ages 0 to 2 years may be getting <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2015.07.019">between 36 and 330 minutes of screen time per day</a>. A 2019 analysis of data gathered between 2008 and 2010 found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.4488">children’s screen time increased</a> from 53 minutes a day at age 1 to more than 150 minutes per day by age 3, which suggests that screen time habits begin taking shape at very early ages.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the <a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/311664">World Health Organization</a> suggests that infants should spend no more than one hour at a time in a restrictive device. Yet many adults overuse car seats, strollers, high chairs or other “containers” that constrain movement. For instance, in a 2018 study of child care centers in the U.S., Canada and Australia, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2017.11.008">only 38% to 41% of the facilities</a> followed this WHO guideline.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Mother playing face to face with baby son on floor." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442392/original/file-20220124-13-aq1z6j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442392/original/file-20220124-13-aq1z6j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/442392/original/file-20220124-13-aq1z6j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/442392/original/file-20220124-13-aq1z6j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/442392/original/file-20220124-13-aq1z6j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/442392/original/file-20220124-13-aq1z6j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/442392/original/file-20220124-13-aq1z6j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Researchers have found that when infants get increased tummy time, they move more overall, and their gross motor skills and development improve.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mother-playing-face-to-face-with-baby-son-on-floor-royalty-free-image/672158475?adppopup=true">JGI/Jamie Grill via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Research into adult physical activity consistently shows that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nature23018">males are more active than females</a>, regardless of age. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101440">Our research suggests</a> this gap may begin during infancy and be related to gendered play. </p>
<p>In our 2020 study exploring infant motor development in relation to parents’ promotion of play, we found that parents of male infants more often encouraged play that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101440">promoted gross motor skills</a>: movement involving the large muscles that support activities like walking, running or kicking. Parents of female infants more often made statements that promoted fine motor skills, which involve smaller movements of the hands and arms and support activities like reaching and grasping. We found that females had significantly higher fine motor skills than male.</p>
<p>We’ve documented <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10286-x">additional barriers as well</a>, including time spent eating, tending to the infant’s sleeping schedule or other care needs; a need to baby-proof surroundings; or weather and other environmental concerns.</p>
<h2>How to support infant movement</h2>
<p>Fortunately there are many ways to break down these barriers – and none requires buying expensive baby gear. </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Encourage tummy time: Two to three times a day, place an awake infant <a href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/Back-to-Sleep-Tummy-to-Play.aspx">on their tummy</a> for a few minutes, and then play and engage with them. This is the primary method of supporting movement for infants who are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-2168">not yet mobile</a>. </p></li>
<li><p>Explore movement together: Doing activities that help infants <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/krj.2.4.221">learn about movement</a>, such as bouncing the child on one’s lap and <a href="https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/healthystart/assets/PhysicalActivityPresentation.pdf">singing and playing patty-cake or peekaboo</a>, can encourage infants to move. Infants also watch what the adults around them do – including how active they are! In one of our studies, many mothers reported <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4503-5">being physically active themselves</a>, but few realized it was <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-00966-z">important to role-model</a> regular physical activity for infants. </p></li>
<li><p>Create safe play space: As infants <a href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Movement-4-to-7-Months.aspx">learn to move</a> and get better at controlling their feet and hands, even normal household objects, such as small items they can shove into their mouths and choke on, become potential hazards requiring adult intervention. Protect them by clearing clutter and removing potentially dangerous objects from a space that’s at least <a href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/growing-healthy/Pages/baby-activity.aspx">5 feet by 7 feet</a>.</p></li>
<li><p>No equipment? No problem!: It doesn’t take new or costly gear to encourage infant movement. Use things around the house: Pillows can be piled into a “mountain” to crawl over. Mixing bowls and measuring cups can double as toys. Adults can also turn their own bodies into an infant climbing gym. For example, sit on the floor with legs spread out and encourage the infant to pull themselves up or crawl over them.</p></li>
<li><p>Get outside: National guidelines recommend <a href="http://nrckids.org/CFOC/Database/3.1.3.1">taking infants outside two to three times per day</a>, weather permitting. Our research suggests children are more physically active <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2019.1579550">when they play in parks</a>, playgrounds and other open areas that allow for gross motor activities like crawling and walking. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2016.1251793">benefits of active outdoor play</a> may also include improved self-control, attention, communication and social development. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>To help motivate us, my family is taking the <a href="https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/">1,000 Hours Outside</a> challenge, a project encouraging both kids and adults to spend at least as much time outdoors as we do staring at screens.</p>
<p>[<em>Over 150,000 readers rely on The Conversation’s newsletters to understand the world.</em> <a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?source=inline-150ksignup">Sign up today</a>.]</p>
<p>Finally, it need not be up to parents alone. Research has linked social support by <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/6/10/115">siblings and peers</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X19835240">child care providers</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-10-68">teachers</a> with increased physical activity in children. </p>
<p>Trust me: As both a physical activity researcher and a working mother of three, including an 11-month-old just learning to walk, I can attest that when adults and older children play with my baby, it gives me an opportunity to accomplish something on my to-do list, and provides my infant with more opportunities to enjoy moving.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173975/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Danae Dinkel receives funding from the National Institutes of Health. </span></em></p>Even babies who are not yet standing or walking get lots of benefits from active movement – but most infants aren’t getting enough physical activity.Danae Dinkel, Associate Professor, Department of Health and Kinesiology, University of Nebraska OmahaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1690022021-11-19T13:15:10Z2021-11-19T13:15:10ZMonitor or talk? 5 ways parents can help keep their children safe online<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432663/original/file-20211118-20-t5yhng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=60%2C0%2C6649%2C4466&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Communication is key, experts say.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mother-an-son-using-laptop-at-home-royalty-free-image/1033164998?adppopup=true">damircudic/E+ via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Children have been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/16/health/covid-kids-tech-use.html">spending more time online</a>. A May 2020 study found that U.S. teenagers spent <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.4334">around seven hours a day, on average</a>, using screens. Even before the pandemic, U.S. teens were indicating in surveys that they were “<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/05/31/teens-social-media-technology-2018/#a-growing-share-of-teens-describe-their-internet-use-as-near-constant">almost constantly online</a>.”</p>
<p>As with any venue, parents might be concerned about what dangers lurk on the internet – from <a href="https://cyberbullying.org/bullying-during-the-covid-19-pandemic">cyberbullying</a> to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-3183">teen-to-teen sexting</a> – and tempted to use various technological tools to monitor their children’s online activities. </p>
<p>As a researcher who specializes in <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=N3T-78EAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">how teens operate in online environments</a>, I know that spying on your children’s keystrokes and web browsers isn’t the only or even the best parental practice to employ and may create problems of its own. Here are five tips on how parents can encourage their children to adopt safer online behavior beyond using spyware or computer surveillance.</p>
<h2>1. Don’t just monitor your kids online, talk to them</h2>
<p>Technical measures, such as those that allow parents to monitor <a href="https://www.mspy.com/">every keystroke</a>, can provide parents with an additional way to keep tabs on what their children are doing. However, parental controls should not replace an ongoing conversation with children about their digital media use and what it means to be safe online. </p>
<p>Many parents <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.04.004">value open communication</a> with their children about their internet use. This can be beneficial in keeping them safe. Research on related traditional risk behaviors, such as teenage substance use, has found that children who have open conversations with their parents are less likely to engage in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2016.1251920">these risky behaviors</a>. Open communication about online experiences may also allow children to stay safer online.</p>
<h2>2. Search for conversation starters</h2>
<p>More and more television series and films have story lines about digital media use that serve as natural conversation starters. For example, in Episode 5 of the first season of Netflix’s “<a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80197526">Sex Education</a>,” sexting is a central theme as sexually explicit images of a girl are sent to her schoolmates. The main characters of the show try to put a stop this revenge porn. The movie “<a href="https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/love-simon">Love, Simon</a>” portrays the struggles of a gay teenage boy who seeks and finds online support from another closeted gay student in his school through an online confession site, only to be outed through the same online platform. </p>
<p>Alternatively, you could ask your children to teach you how to use some of their favorite apps. This would be an excellent opportunity to discover together all the features as well as the privacy settings that these applications offer.</p>
<h2>3. Assure your children they can turn to you if they run into trouble</h2>
<p>As part of an ongoing conversation about media use, parents should make sure that their children feel they can reach out to them for help when they run into unpleasant online experiences. Research has found that some children are <a href="https://www.igi-global.com/article/adolescents-experiences-of-cyberbullying/173740">afraid to talk</a> to their parents when they face problems such as cyberbullying. They worry that parents may overreact or take away their devices. </p>
<p>Making sure that your child knows that they can reach out for help and that you will try your best to understand their needs can make them less vulnerable to risks like online extortion. If your child does disclose a particular online problem, a good way to respond is to simply ask your child how the problem makes them feel.</p>
<h2>4. Explain why you’re monitoring their online activities</h2>
<p>Parents who do decide to monitor their children’s internet use should always disclose that they are doing so. Most parents already do this, as evidenced in a study that found most parents believe that not telling their children that they are being monitored would <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2020.1744458">violate their child’s sense of privacy and security</a>.</p>
<p>Moreover, when children find out that their internet use has been monitored without their knowledge, it could lead to a <a href="https://www.lse.ac.uk/media-and-communications/assets/documents/research/projects/childrens-privacy-online/Evidence-review-final.pdf">breach of trust</a>. One study found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000615">intrusive parenting</a>, such as snooping without their children’s knowing, can lead to more negative interactions between parents and children once the children find out and could make some children less likely to communicate with their parents. Consequently, parents will become less informed about their children’s lives. Therefore, it is important for parents to explain the reasons they are monitoring their children’s online behavior.</p>
<h2>5. Tailor monitoring to your child’s maturity and unique situation</h2>
<p>While young children can benefit from a close monitoring of their internet use, research has found that many parents gradually grant more autonomy to their children and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.04.004">become less restrictive in their monitoring</a><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2010.09.002">as the children get older</a>. As a natural part of growing up, teenagers increasingly value <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.04.004">personal autonomy</a>, especially when it comes to their media use.</p>
<p>Just as parents cannot always monitor their teenage children in the offline world, they could find it useful to grant their children gradual increased autonomy in the online world as they get older. This can encourage children to develop <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10342-w">problem-solving skills</a> and teaches them to navigate online risks. What this looks like will differ for each child and depends on their age. Everyone is susceptible in different ways <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119011071.iemp0122">to media effects and online risks</a>. This is why it is important to adapt the autonomy that you grant your child based on their personality, their maturity and their prior online experiences.</p>
<p>Online monitoring can also have some unintended side effects. For example, parents of LGBTQ teenagers should be aware that sexual and gender minority youths often rely on the internet to find information, explore their identities and connect with the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/2005615X.2017.1313482">broader LGBTQ community</a>. Restrictive forms of monitoring may take away youth agency and may severely limit opportunities for them to grow in their identities.</p>
<p>Whether or not parents decide to monitor their children’s internet use, there is still <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/20501579211012436">much to learn</a> about effective parental mediation in an increasingly complex digital world. While parental monitoring differs for each child, it should primarily start with good communication and a balance between <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10342-w">surveillance and autonomy</a>.</p>
<p>[<em>Like what you’ve read? Want more?</em> <a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?source=inline-likethis">Sign up for The Conversation’s daily newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/169002/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joris Van Ouytsel received funding from the Research Foundation - Flanders.</span></em></p>Parents who spy on their children’s online activity run the risk of doing more harm than good, an expert says.Joris Van Ouytsel, Assistant Professor of Interpersonal Communication, Arizona State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1686502021-10-07T22:59:14Z2021-10-07T22:59:14ZChildren live online more than ever – we need better definitions of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ screen time<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425165/original/file-20211007-23-3a1d1v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5463%2C3645&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The pandemic has fundamentally altered every part of our lives, not least the time we spend on digital devices. For young people in particular, the blurred line between recreational and educational screen time presents new challenges we are only beginning to appreciate. </p>
<p>Even before COVID, there were concerns about screen time for children. A <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/food-activity-and-sleep/physical-activity/activity-levels-new-zealand">2019-20 survey</a> found four in five children were exceeding the current Ministry of Health recommendation of two hours’ recreational screen time a day. This was on top of screen time linked to learning. </p>
<p>With lockdowns and social restrictions now a new normal, it is increasingly difficult to disengage from screens. Children are growing up in a digital society, surrounded by a multitude of devices used for everything from social connection to learning and entertainment. </p>
<p>The boundaries between recreation, communication and learning are becoming less distinct. Screen time that may seem on the surface to be purely recreational can in reality be important for learning, supporting <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/coping-with-covid19-how-young-people-use-digital-media-to-manage-their-mental-health">mental health</a> and driving awareness of important issues.</p>
<p>YouTube, for example, can be both entertaining and educational. It is increasingly used in classes to supplement teaching. But it is also used in other ways, including to drive social change, as German star Rezo demonstrated with a viral climate change video that prompted <a href="https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/article/view/2862">sweeping public reforms</a>. </p>
<p>Likewise the popular online game Minecraft has been shown to provide rich educational and social benefits. Even games like Roblox or Fortnite, where those benefits may be less apparent, still <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563211002706">provide opportunities</a> for rich social engagement and spaces for problem solving and experiential learning. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="moble phone screen showing Fortnite game" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425166/original/file-20211007-26-bvv8wb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/425166/original/file-20211007-26-bvv8wb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425166/original/file-20211007-26-bvv8wb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425166/original/file-20211007-26-bvv8wb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425166/original/file-20211007-26-bvv8wb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425166/original/file-20211007-26-bvv8wb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/425166/original/file-20211007-26-bvv8wb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Play or education? Online games like Fortnite can be both.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Are official guidelines outdated?</h2>
<p>This all presents an interesting dilemma: can we really fit screen time into discrete categories, and should we apply limits to some but not others? </p>
<p>This blurring of boundaries has led researchers from the University of Auckland’s Centre for Informed Futures – <a href="https://informedfutures.org/#">Koi Tū</a> – to call for clearer and more detailed official screen time recommendations. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/minecraft-can-increase-problem-solving-collaboration-and-learning-yes-at-school-113335">Minecraft can increase problem solving, collaboration and learning - yes, at school</a>
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<p>Specifically, they felt the current recommended limits failed to represent the variety of screen time students experience. This was supported by a <a href="https://informedfutures.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-time-The-effects-on-childrens-emotional-social-cognitive-development.pdf">review of the academic literature</a> covering the impacts of screen time. </p>
<p>While research indicates a broad association between excessive screen time and a range of behavioural, learning and other problems, the results are far from conclusive and can generally be attributed to other factors. </p>
<p>The review also found the type of screen time is important: in many cases, negative effects were driven by passive screen use, whereas interactive use didn’t have the same impacts. In fact, the latter can have positive influences, such as better learning achievement and enhanced cognitive skills.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1433883952566005761"}"></div></p>
<h2>Getting the balance right</h2>
<p>This suggests we need to reorient our views of screen time away from a blunt measure of time spent on screens and towards better understanding what children are really doing on those screens. </p>
<p>While balancing passive and interactive screen time is <a href="https://clalliance.org/blog/screen-time-kids-getting-balance-right/">clearly important</a>, so is finding ways to encourage and prioritise more socially and educationally productive online behaviour.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/stop-worrying-about-screen-time-its-your-childs-screen-experience-that-matters-118610">Stop worrying about screen 'time'. It's your child’s screen experience that matters</a>
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<p>This should also guide the adoption of technology in schools. Rather than wholesale integration within every aspect of learning, devices should clearly add value or improve teaching and learning, not simply replace traditional practices. </p>
<p>The role of screen devices in classrooms is particularly relevant in light of New Zealand’s 2018 PISA results, which indicated children using devices in subjects like mathematics and science achieved lower scores than those who didn’t. </p>
<p>In August this year, the Ministry of Education <a href="https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/pisa-2018-digital-devices-and-student-outcomes">responded</a> by saying: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Digital devices have the potential to enhance learning, but there are few situations where this happens currently and many in which learning may be hindered. </p>
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<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1352685261512187905"}"></div></p>
<h2>Active versus passive time</h2>
<p>It’s true there is considerable scepticism about the validity of the PISA tests, and <a href="https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/evidence-reviews/digital-technology-2019">wider research</a> into the influence of screens in classrooms has shown mixed results.</p>
<p>Generally, however, we cannot claim a causal, linear relationship between use of devices and academic outcomes. Rather than assuming the PISA results indicate screen time is detrimental to learning, we need to consider <em>how</em> screens are actually being used in classes.</p>
<p>We need to focus on integrating technology that makes a difference and enhances learning. Students learn best when they are <a href="https://clalliance.org/about-connected-learning/">actively engaged</a> and create and drive their own learning.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/problems-with-pisa-why-canadians-should-be-skeptical-of-the-global-test-118096">Problems with PISA: Why Canadians should be skeptical of the global test</a>
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<p>The same principles can apply to the use of digital devices – limiting passive consumption in favour of students being actively creative. This will open up new <a href="https://gazette.education.govt.nz/articles/teachers-supported-to-embrace-new-technologies/">learning opportunities</a> and provide students with authentic experiences.</p>
<p>For example, rather than students simply watching a YouTube clip to learn about the solar system, they might create their own augmented reality simulation, requiring them to apply their knowledge to correctly place, size and animate digital objects.</p>
<p>Rebalancing screen time in this way will help avoid the more negative consequences of these ubiquitous devices and highlight some of their unique advantages. </p>
<p>But this will require deeper and more critical thinking about what might be gained or lost in a world where engaging with digital technology is increasingly unavoidable.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/168650/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cheryl Brown receives funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kathryn MacCallum does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Lockdowns and learning from home have further embedded digital technology in young people’s lives. Educational theory and practice need to catch up fast.Kathryn MacCallum, Associate Professor of Digital Education Futures, University of CanterburyCheryl Brown, Associate Professor of e-Learning, University of CanterburyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1690802021-10-07T12:24:44Z2021-10-07T12:24:44ZFacebook’s own internal documents offer a blueprint for making social media safer for teens<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/424806/original/file-20211005-19-iga3jf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=385%2C242%2C6963%2C4660&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">What if there were a social media blackout for teens during certain hours of the night?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/the-girl-under-a-blanket-with-a-smartphone-royalty-free-image/1085732990">NitaYuko/iStock via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Right at the time social media became popular, teen mental health began to falter. Between 2010 and 2019, rates of <a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt29393/2019NSDUHFFRPDFWHTML/2019NSDUHFFR1PDFW090120.pdf">depression</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/31/opinion/smartphone-iphone-social-media-isolation.html">loneliness</a> doubled in the U.S. and globally, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr69/nvsr-69-11-508.pdf">suicide rates soared for teens in the U.S.</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2017.13317">emergency room admissions for self-harm</a> tripled among U.S. 10- to 14-year-old girls. Social scientists <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=YsAsEXUAAAAJ&hl=en">like myself</a> <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/iGen/Jean-M-Twenge/9781501152016">have been warning for years</a> that the ubiquity of social media might be at the root of the growing mental health crisis for teens.</p>
<p>Yet when Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/05/18/990234501/facebook-calls-links-to-depression-inconclusive-these-researchers-disagree">asked during a congressional hearing</a> in March to acknowledge the connection between social media and these troubling mental health trends, he replied, “I don’t think that the research is conclusive on that.”</p>
<p>Just six months later, The Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook had been <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knows-instagram-is-toxic-for-teen-girls-company-documents-show-11631620739">doing its own research for years</a> on the <a href="https://theconversation.com/facebook-has-known-for-a-year-and-a-half-that-instagram-is-bad-for-teens-despite-claiming-otherwise-here-are-the-harms-researchers-have-been-documenting-for-years-168043">negative effects of Instagram</a>, the company’s photo-sharing app popular with teens and young adults. <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-documents-instagram-teens-11632953840">Six internal documents</a> summarizing the research, leaked by a whistle-blower, were posted in full on Sept. 29, 2021. </p>
<p>The details in the 209 pages are revealing. They suggest not only that Facebook knew how Instagram could be harmful, but that the company also was aware of possible solutions to mitigate those harms. Facebook’s own research strongly suggests that social media should be subject to more stringent regulation and include more guardrails to protect the mental health of its users. </p>
<p>There are two primary ways the company can do this: enforcing time limits and increasing the minimum age of users.</p>
<h2>A ticking time bomb for mental health</h2>
<p>Academic research shows that the more hours a day a teen spends on social media, the more likely she or he is to <a href="https://doi.org//10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.1759">be depressed</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01906-9">to self-harm</a>. </p>
<p>That’s important because many teens, especially girls, spend large amounts of time on social media. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.12.005">One study in the U.K.</a> found that one-quarter of 15-year-old girls spent more than five hours a day using social media – and 38% of those girls were clinically depressed. Comparatively, among girls who used social media less than one hour a day, only 15% were depressed.</p>
<p>Although the internal Facebook research didn’t examine links between time on Instagram and mental health, they did ask teens about what were, in their view, the worst aspects of Instagram. One of the things teens disliked the most about the app was how much time they spent on it. </p>
<p>Teens, the report said, had “an addict’s narrative about their use. … They wish they could spend less time caring about it but they can’t help themselves.” </p>
<p>They knew they were spending too much time online, but had a hard time controlling how much time they spent. One-third of teens suggested Instagram should remind them to take a break or encourage them to get off the app. </p>
<p>That would be a step in the right direction, but simple nudges might not be enough to get teens to close the app and keep it closed. And while parents can already set time limits using <a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201304">the parental controls</a> included on most smartphones, many of them don’t know how to use these controls or are unaware how much time teens are spending on social media. </p>
<p>So better regulations might need to put teeth into time limits, such as limiting the number of hours teens under 18 can spend on social media apps. A blackout period overnight might also be useful, as <a href="https://theconversation.com/awake-online-and-sleep-deprived-the-rise-of-the-teenage-vamper-34853">many teens use their smartphones at night</a> when they should be sleeping. </p>
<h2>ID, please</h2>
<p>One <a href="https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/appearance-based-social-comparison-on-instagram.pdf">internal Facebook study of more than 50,000 people</a> from 10 countries found that half of teen girls compare their appearance to others’ on Instagram. Those appearance-based comparisons, the study found, peaked when users were 13 to 18 and were much less common among adult women. </p>
<p>This is key, as body image issues seem to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.12.005">one of the biggest reasons</a> why social media use is linked to depression among teen girls. It also dovetails with research I reported in my book, “<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/iGen/Jean-M-Twenge/9781501152016">iGen</a>,” finding that social media use is more strongly linked to unhappiness among younger teens than older ones.</p>
<p>This suggests another avenue for regulation: age minimums. A 1998 law called the <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/rules/rulemaking-regulatory-reform-proceedings/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule">Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule</a> already sets the age minimum for social media accounts at 13. That limit is problematic for two reasons. First, 13 is a developmentally challenging time, right as boys and girls are going through puberty and <a href="https://www.prevnet.ca/sites/prevnet.ca/files/fact-sheet/PREVNet-SAMHSA-Factsheet-Age-Trends-in-the-Prevalence-of-Bullying.pdf">bullying is at its peak</a>. </p>
<p>Second, the age minimum is not regularly enforced. Kids 12 and under can simply lie about their age to sign up for an account, and they’re rarely kicked off the platform for being underage. <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-instagram-kids-tweens-attract-11632849667">During a Facebook event with Instagram head Adam Mosseri</a>, the young celebrity JoJo Siwa noted she had been using Instagram since she was 8 years old, forcing Mosseri to acknowledge that it’s easy to lie about your age.</p>
<p>The problem is how to enforce an age limit online for a population that is too young for IDs. Raising the minimum age to create a social media account to 16, 17 or 18 could solve two problems at once: It would prevent kids from signing up until they’re a bit more developed and mature, and it would be easier to enforce. For example, potential users might be asked to submit a photo of their state-issued ID, which most teens have by 16.</p>
<p>Verifying age would also make it easier to construct a safer app for younger users that might, say, hide follower counts or restrict access to celebrity accounts, both of which Facebook’s research found negatively impacted girls’ body images. </p>
<h2>Curtailing that fear of missing out</h2>
<p>It’s tempting to think regulations like these would cause teens to riot in the streets – after all, they love keeping up with their friends on social media. But the teens interviewed by Facebook for its internal research were well aware of social media’s downsides.</p>
<p>“The reason why our generation is so messed up and has higher anxiety and depression than our parents’ is because we have to deal with social media. Everyone feels like they have to be perfect,” one teen girl told the researchers. Other teens have <a href="https://www.logoffmovement.org/">spoken publicly</a> about the negative effects of social media. </p>
<p>[<em>Get the best of The Conversation, every weekend.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/weekly-highlights-61?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=weeklybest">Sign up for our weekly newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p>More stringent regulation would help with another issue teens know all too well: the unwritten mandate to use social media or be left out.</p>
<p>“Young people are acutely aware that Instagram can be bad for their mental health yet are compelled to spend time on the app for fear of missing out,” Facebook’s internal research concluded. </p>
<p>If age limits were enforced, the peer pressure of being on social media would vanish; no or few classmates would be there. Regulating time on the app could also help if teens knew their friends wouldn’t constantly be online.</p>
<p>Facebook’s research demonstrates something else: The company was aware of the issues with Instagram but <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/10/04/1042921981/facebook-whistleblower-renewing-scrutiny-of-social-media-giant">chose not to set these limits itself</a>. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/30/technology/facebook-senate-hearing.html">Congress is now considering taking action</a>. </p>
<p>Until they do, it will be up to parents and teens themselves to set limits. That won’t be easy, but teens will be safer for it.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/169080/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jean M. Twenge has received speaking honoraria and consulting fees for presenting research and receives royalties from books, most recently iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy – and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood. </span></em></p>It’s tempting to think limits would cause teens to riot in the streets. But Facebook’s own research reveals that young people are well aware of social media’s downsides.Jean Twenge, Professor of Psychology, San Diego State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1565832021-03-16T18:53:36Z2021-03-16T18:53:36ZApps that help parents protect kids from cybercrime may be unsafe too<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389505/original/file-20210315-19-4o18k0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C8%2C5391%2C3575&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/happy-boy-white-tshirt-socks-gray-1724276530">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Children, like adults, are spending more time online. At home and school pre-schoolers now use an array of apps and platforms to learn, play and be entertained. While there are reported <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2043610617734985">benefits</a>, including learning through exploration, many parents are still concerned about <a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/parenting4digitalfuture/2020/12/16/from-screen-time-to-online-experiences/">screen time</a>, <a href="https://revistes.ub.edu/index.php/der/article/view/30533">cybersafety</a> and <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/technology-addiction/is-internet-addiction-real">internet addiction</a>.</p>
<p>An increasingly popular technical solution is parental control apps. These enable parents to monitor, filter and restrict children’s online interactions and experiences. Parental control apps that work by blocking dangerous or explicit content can be marketed as “<a href="https://useboomerang.com">taking the battle out of screen time</a>” and giving parents “<a href="https://mamabearapp.com">peace of mind</a>”. </p>
<p>But such a quick fix is inadequate when addressing the complicated reasons behind screen time. Much worse though, the apps expose users to privacy and other safety issues most people aren’t aware of.</p>
<h2>What apps do parents use?</h2>
<p>Research by Australia’s <a href="https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/research/digital-parenting/digital-families">eSafety Commission</a> shows 4% of preschoolers’ parents use parental control apps. This increases to 7% of parents with older children and 8% of parents with teenagers. Global trends suggest these figures are bound to rise.</p>
<p>Parents download parental control apps onto a child’s mobile phone, laptop or tablet. Most parental control apps <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2998181.2998352">enable parents to monitor or restrict</a> inappropriate online content from wherever they are. They provide parents with insights into which sites their child has visited and for how long, as well as who they have interacted with. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.qustodio.com/en/">Qustudio</a>, for example, claims to keep children “safer from cyber threats” by filtering inappropriate content, setting time limits on use and even monitoring text messages. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389514/original/file-20210315-23-pn876f.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Screenshot from Qustodio website that says 'Keep your child's screen time healthy and happy. Qustodio makes it simple to manage and supervise kids' device use.'" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389514/original/file-20210315-23-pn876f.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389514/original/file-20210315-23-pn876f.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=220&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389514/original/file-20210315-23-pn876f.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=220&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389514/original/file-20210315-23-pn876f.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=220&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389514/original/file-20210315-23-pn876f.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389514/original/file-20210315-23-pn876f.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389514/original/file-20210315-23-pn876f.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.qustodio.com/en/family/how-it-works/">Qustodio</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://useboomerang.com">Boomerang</a>, another popular parental control app, enables parents to set time limits per day, per app.</p>
<h2>Why they may not be safe</h2>
<p>Parental control apps need many permissions to access particular systems and functions on devices. <a href="https://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/popets/2020/2/article-p314.xml?language=en">80% of parental control apps</a> request access to location, contacts and storage. </p>
<p>While these permissions help the apps carry out detailed monitoring, some of them may not be necessary for the app to function as described. For instance, several apps designed to monitor children’s online activity ask for permissions such as “read calendar”, “read contacts” and “record audio” — none of which are justified in the app description or the privacy policy.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/83-of-australians-want-tougher-privacy-laws-nows-your-chance-to-tell-the-government-what-you-want-149535">83% of Australians want tougher privacy laws. Now’s your chance to tell the government what you want</a>
</strong>
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<p>Many are considered “dangerous permissions”, which means they are used to access information that could affect the user’s privacy and make their device more vulnerable to attack. </p>
<p>For example, <a href="https://content.sciendo.com/configurable/contentpage/journals$002fpopets$002f2020$002f2$002farticle-p314.xml">Boomerang requests more than 91 permissions</a>, 16 of which are considered “dangerous”. The permission “access fine location” for instance, allows the app to access the precise geographic location of the user. The “read phone state” allows the app to know your phone number, network information and status of outgoing calls. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389515/original/file-20210315-23-yx32w4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Screenshot from Boomerang website. Kids using apps in the photo, with text saying 'Boomerang Parental Control Taking the battle out of screen time.'" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389515/original/file-20210315-23-yx32w4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389515/original/file-20210315-23-yx32w4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389515/original/file-20210315-23-yx32w4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389515/original/file-20210315-23-yx32w4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389515/original/file-20210315-23-yx32w4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389515/original/file-20210315-23-yx32w4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389515/original/file-20210315-23-yx32w4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=382&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://useboomerang.com/">Boomerang</a></span>
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<p>It’s not just the apps that get that information. Many of these apps embed data hungry third-party <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_development_kit">software development kits</a> (SDKs). SDKs are a set of software tools and programs used by developers to save them from tedious coding. However, some SDKs can make the app developers money from collecting personally identifiable information, such as name, location and contacts from children and parents. </p>
<p>Because third-party SDKs are developed by a company separate from the original app, they have different protocols around data sharing and privacy. Yet any permissions sought by the host app are also inherited by third-party SDKs.</p>
<p>The Google Play Store, which is used for Android phones, does not force developers to explain to users whether it has embedded third-party SDKs, so users cannot make an informed decision when they consent to the terms and conditions. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/children-can-be-exposed-to-sexual-predators-online-so-how-can-parents-teach-them-to-be-safe-120661">Children can be exposed to sexual predators online, so how can parents teach them to be safe?</a>
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<p>Apple’s App Store is <a href="https://www.apple.com/au/newsroom/2019/04/the-facts-about-parental-control-apps/">more transparent</a>. Developers must state if their apps use third-party code and whether the information collected is used to track them or is linked to their identity or device. <a href="https://fortune.com/2019/04/29/apple-parental-control-apps/">Apple has removed a number of parental control apps</a> from the App Store due to their invasive features.</p>
<p>Many <a href="https://madiba.encs.concordia.ca/reports/OPC-2019/">popular parental control apps</a> in the Google Play Store have extensive security and privacy vulnerabilities due to SDKs. For example, SDKs for Google Ads, Google Firebase and Google Analytics are present in over 50% of parental control apps in the Google Play Store, while the Facebook SDK is present in 43%. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389748/original/file-20210316-23-81wwym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Man typing on computer." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389748/original/file-20210316-23-81wwym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389748/original/file-20210316-23-81wwym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=324&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389748/original/file-20210316-23-81wwym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=324&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389748/original/file-20210316-23-81wwym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=324&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389748/original/file-20210316-23-81wwym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389748/original/file-20210316-23-81wwym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389748/original/file-20210316-23-81wwym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many parental control apps make money by allowing third parties to take personal data gathered by the app.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cyber-security-man-hacker-attack-438568531">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A <a href="https://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/popets/2018/3/article-p63.xml?language=en">US study</a> focusing on whether parental control apps complied with laws to protect the personal data of children under 13 found roughly 57% of these apps were in violation of the law. </p>
<p>Not all parental control apps request dangerous permissions. The <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/saferkid-text-monitoring-app/id1143802529">Safer Kid</a> app, for example, does not request any dangerous permissions but costs US$200 per year. </p>
<h2>Why should I worry?</h2>
<p>Personal data has become a valuable commodity in the digital economy. Huge volumes of data are generated from our digital engagements and traded by data brokers (who collect information about users to sell to other companies and/or individuals) and tech companies. </p>
<p>The value is not in a singular data point, but the creation of huge datasets that can be processed to make predictions about individual behaviours. While this is a problem for all users, it is particularly problematic for children. Children are thought to be <a href="https://www.lse.ac.uk/media-and-communications/assets/documents/research/projects/childrens-privacy-online/Evidence-review-final.pdf">more vulnerable to online threats and persuasion</a> than adults due to more limited digital skills and less awareness of online risks. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/kids-need-to-learn-about-cybersecurity-but-teachers-only-have-so-much-time-in-the-day-112136">Kids need to learn about cybersecurity, but teachers only have so much time in the day</a>
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</em>
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<p>Data-driven advertising establishes habits and taste preferences in young children, positioning them as consumers by exploiting insecurities and using peer influence. </p>
<p>Parental control apps have also been <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/ywk8gy/spyware-family-orbit-children-photos-data-breach">targeted by attackers</a> due to their insecurities, exposing children’s personal information.</p>
<h2>There are better ways to reduce screen time</h2>
<p>It is also questionable whether parental control apps are worthwhile. <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8328977">Research</a> suggests issues of screen time and cybercrime are best managed through helping children self-regulate and reflect on their online behaviour. </p>
<p>Rather than policing time limits for screen use, parents could focus on the <a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/parenting4digitalfuture/2019/02/08/from-policing-screen-time/">content, context and connections</a> their child is making. Parents could encourage their children to talk to them about what happens online, to help make them more aware of risk and what to do about it. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/stop-worrying-about-screen-time-its-your-childs-screen-experience-that-matters-118610">Stop worrying about screen 'time'. It's your child’s screen experience that matters</a>
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</em>
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<p>Restrictive approaches also reduce opportunities for kids’ growth and beneficial online activity. Unsurprisingly, <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3173574.3173768">children report</a> parental control apps are overly invasive, negatively impacting their relationships with parents. </p>
<p>Instead of a technical “quick-fix,” we need an educational response that is ethical, sustainable and builds young people’s digital agency. Children will not be under their parents’ surveillance forever, so we need to help them prepare for online challenges and risks.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/156583/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Luci Pangrazio is a Chief Investigator in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child (<a href="https://www.digitalchild.org.au">https://www.digitalchild.org.au</a>). </span></em></p>Many parents install apps onto their kids’ phone to restrict their online activity, especially if it may be dangerous. But a lot of personal data requested by the apps is sold to third parties.Luci Pangrazio, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1560772021-03-11T14:11:26Z2021-03-11T14:11:26ZRewild your kids: why playing outside should be a post-pandemic priority<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389032/original/file-20210311-19-jau3x2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1000%2C666&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/children-play-hut-out-twigs-wooden-654282853">EvgeniiAnd/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><blockquote>
<p>This generation of children will face a range of challenges, including the impacts of climate change, increasing globalisation, and the consequences of rapid technological change. They will need to become habitually physically active in order to grow into healthy, resilient adults who can survive and thrive in a changing world.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong><em>The Global Matrix initiative on physical activity</em></strong></p>
<p>As nurseries and schools begin to reopen across the UK, there is much concern about the impact of this very difficult year on children. One aspect of normal childhood which many have missed out on in the last 12 months is the simple fun of playing outside. England’s Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield believes we should <a href="https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/2021/02/17/building-back-better-reaching-englands-left-behind-children/">prioritise youngsters’ wellbeing</a> as part of our recovery from COVID-19. </p>
<p>Our latest <a href="https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-020-00987-8">research</a> suggests that during lockdown most children spent less time outdoors, became less physically active and spent more time in front of screens. As a result, this may now be the <a href="https://theconversation.com/as-schools-reopen-will-this-be-the-least-fit-generation-of-schoolchildren-ever-145492">least fit generation of children in history</a>. In England, children have even been <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/55812556">scolded by police</a> for playing outdoors. And school and nursery closures have inevitably reduced opportunities to play with friends.</p>
<p>Our behaviours are formed and reinforced by habit. Some children may have lost the habit of playing outside over the past year, replacing it with sedentary screen time, while others might not have had the opportunity to develop the habit at all.</p>
<p>A large body of research <a href="https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/position-statement-on-active-outdoor-play-en.pdf">evidence</a> shows that active outdoor play has benefits for child health, wellbeing, development and educational attainment. Play is so important to childhood that it is enshrined as a human right in <a href="https://ipaworld.org/childs-right-to-play/article-31/summary-gc17/">article 31 of the UN Rights of Child</a>.</p>
<p>It seems odd that such an important and normal aspect of childhood as playing outside is under threat, but the problem was there pre-lockdown. Such restrictions may have simply speeded up a process of declining participation in active outdoor play that was already underway before the pandemic.</p>
<p>Running, cycling, swimming, hiking, climbing, exploring and playing games not only provide opportunities for physical activity, they also stimulate imagination and creativity, help us to develop problem-solving skills and encourage interaction with others and the environment. Free play outdoors – which isn’t organised or supervised closely by parents – is especially good for activity levels, wellbeing, social and emotional development and resilience.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Os0fJhHHHiA?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<h2>Restoring the habit</h2>
<p>Our research on the lifestyles of children in Scotland is published as a “state of the nation” <a href="https://activehealthykidsscotland.co.uk">report card</a> every two to three years. In our last report – a snapshot of life pre-lockdown – we found that only around <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jpah/15/s2/article-pS251.xml">a third</a> of Scottish primary school children played outside regularly; two-thirds did not have the habit at all.</p>
<p>This finding was very similar to our 2018 <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jpah/15/s2/article-pS251.xml">research findings</a> from the 20 countries that reported participation in active outdoor play with the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance <a href="https://www.activehealthykids.org/3-0/">Global Matrix initiative</a>. If active outdoor play was quite rare pre-lockdown, it might now be in danger of extinction in some places.</p>
<p>The reasons playing outside was in decline even pre-lockdown are complex and varied but include fear of children hurting themselves or getting dirty, stranger-danger, sunburn, insect stings, bad weather and darkness. These safety concerns are conveniently countered with lots of “safe” things for children to do indoors, mostly in front of screens.</p>
<p>But in the same <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jpah/15/s2/article-pS251.xml">study</a> we found good evidence that the vast majority of Scottish children have access to decent outdoor space to play that is close to where they live and generally perceived as safe. Research from across the developed world has shown that the outdoor environment is relatively safe, while the indoor environment is <a href="https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/portfolio_page/the-2015-position-statement-on-active-outdoor-play/">much less safe</a> than many parents think. Besides the online dangers of prolonged screen time, children are sitting around more and moving less. They may be snacking more. And often air quality indoors is worse than outdoors.</p>
<p>Again, this was similar to findings from other western countries, such as Canada. While the outdoor environment could no doubt be better, the reasons so few children regularly played outdoors pre-lockdown are partly to do with the social environment (meaning norms and habits) rather than the physical environment. If we are to save play from extinction, we need to address the social environment and restore the habit of playing outside.</p>
<p>In a further 29 countries that took part in our 2018 research there was no monitoring of participation in active outdoor play, so the situation may be critical and deteriorating in those countries without anyone noticing. Like extinctions of species – which happen partly because we were not aware of them – important behaviours and habits could also become extinct because we simply don’t see the trends. As part of the COVID-19 recovery plan, active outdoor play should not just be encouraged and prioritised. Participation needs to be monitored, too. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young girl running on grass with a ribbon flowing out behind her against a bright blue sky." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389031/original/file-20210311-18-b7usd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C0%2C5846%2C3516&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/389031/original/file-20210311-18-b7usd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389031/original/file-20210311-18-b7usd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389031/original/file-20210311-18-b7usd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389031/original/file-20210311-18-b7usd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389031/original/file-20210311-18-b7usd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/389031/original/file-20210311-18-b7usd6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children need fresh air and the chance to run free and move their bodies.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/little-small-black-cool-girl-wave-1499271536">Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Time which children would have spent playing outside in the past has increasingly been replaced by screen time. This <a href="https://www.inspiringscotland.org.uk/publication/scotlands-coalition-outdoor-play-learning-position-statement/">balance needs to be redressed</a>. Cooped up glued to a computer should be tempered with blasts of fresh air and running free without being supervised too closely.</p>
<p>Resurrecting active outdoor play means getting more children outdoors more often and this calls for the rewilding of childhood. That means family outings to explore nature; making park visits routine; encouraging children to play imaginatively outside, like building dens – any kind of creative outdoor play that fosters curiosity, exploration, co-operation, imagination and self-expression.</p>
<p>Repeated it becomes a habit that children enjoy and look forward to, especially if they can meet and play with other kids. Lockdown has been vital to tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, but the loss of outdoor play should not become one of the unintended consequences. If in doubt, <a href="https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/2021/02/08/get-outside-and-play/">send them out</a>!</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/156077/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John J Reilly has received funding from the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office, World Health Organisation, Inspiring Scotland, The Robertson Trust, and the Scottish Universities Insight Institute.. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mark S Tremblay works for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute. He has received funding related to the research and promotion of outdoor play from The Lawson Foundation and The Waltons Trust. He is the Chair of Outdoor Play Canada, Chair of PLaTO-Net (Play, Learn, and Teach Outdoors Network), and President of the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance. </span></em></p>If we want to avoid playing outside becoming a thing of the past, we need to restore the habit in our children after lockdown.John J Reilly, Professor of Physical Activity and Public Health Science, University of Strathclyde Mark S Tremblay, Professor of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of OttawaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1527152021-01-11T13:47:43Z2021-01-11T13:47:43ZFive ways to manage your screen time in a lockdown, according to tech experts<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377760/original/file-20210108-23-1cr3oxu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/top-view-young-man-reading-news-601402313">shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The average daily time spent online by adults <a href="https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/media-releases/2020/uk-internet-use-surges">increased by nearly an hour</a> during the UK’s spring lockdown when compared to the previous year, according to communications regulator Ofcom. With numerous countries back under severe pandemic restrictions, many of us once again find ourselves questioning whether our heavy reliance on technology is impacting our wellbeing.</p>
<p>It’s true that digital devices have provided new means of work, education, connection, and entertainment during lockdown. But <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/2441776.2441945?casa_token=f2s2V-lh-YUAAAAA:glsevy9QLx_dbNdMuei92U-7Y7xWZdj7DliuAYaaFDv3OablZanv7GyaAAK4Kzdn0KIoWUWStNOK">the perceived pressure to be online</a>, the tendency to <a href="http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/Article.aspx?ID=0048-57052000016A#.X_dFu9gzaUk">procrastinate to avoid undertaking tasks</a>, and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257691166_A_Qualitative_Analysis_of_Online_Gaming_Addicts_in_Treatment">the use of digital platforms as a way to escape distress</a> all have the potential to turn healthy behaviours into habits. This repetitive use can develop into addictive patterns, which can in turn affect a user’s wellbeing. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/8/4/577">In our recent research</a>, we explored how to empower people to have healthier and more productive relationships with digital technology. Our findings can be applied to those suffering from digital addiction as well as those who may feel their digital diet has ballooned unhealthily in the solitude and eventlessness of lockdown.</p>
<h2>Screen time and addiction</h2>
<p>Digital addiction refers to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-addiction-how-technology-keeps-us-hooked-97499">compulsive and excessive use of digital devices</a>. The design of digital platforms themselves <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334453349_When_People_are_Problematically_Attached_to_Social_Media_How_Would_the_Design_Matter">contributes to this addictive use</a>. Notifications, news feeds, likes and comments have all been shown to contribute towards a <a href="https://www.heidi.news/explorations/hijacking-your-brain/hooked-by-design-says-bournemouth-university">battle for your attention</a>, which leads users to increase the time they spend looking at screens.</p>
<p>Screen time is an obvious measure of digital addiction, although researchers have noted that there is no simple way to determine how much screen time one can experience before it becomes problematic. As such, there is a continued lack of consensus on how we should think about and measure <a href="http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/Article.aspx?id=0048-57052000017A#.X_czD-j7SUk">digital addiction</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman video conferences with others on a screen" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377761/original/file-20210108-19-11yfbbc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377761/original/file-20210108-19-11yfbbc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377761/original/file-20210108-19-11yfbbc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377761/original/file-20210108-19-11yfbbc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377761/original/file-20210108-19-11yfbbc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377761/original/file-20210108-19-11yfbbc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377761/original/file-20210108-19-11yfbbc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many of us have turned to video conferencing to keep in touch with friends and family.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/morning-meeting-online-young-woman-using-1721381962">shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>During a global pandemic, when there often feels like no alternative to firing up Netflix, or video conferencing with friends and family, screen time as an indicator of digital addiction is clearly ineffective. Nonetheless, research conducted on digital addiction intervention and prevention does provide insights on how we can all engage with our digital technologies in a healthier way during a lockdown.</p>
<h2>1. Setting limits</h2>
<p>During the course of our research, we found that effective <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/2675133.2675244?casa_token=5aCIqh8rZxMAAAAA:Nq8HwxEf7aBZZZpftla-9Vzf50wmt3DB1kAyM4QNTDJPXz2bakHvDXZuxmVZZjLBiavwvCdj2wDO">limit setting</a> can motivate users to better control their digital usage. When setting limits, whatever goal you’re deciding to work towards should be aligned with the five <a href="https://www.atlassian.com/blog/productivity/how-to-write-smart-goals">“SMART” criteria</a>. That means the goal needs to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. </p>
<p>For example, instead of framing your goal as “I will cut down my digital media use”, framing it as “I will spend no more than one hour watching Netflix on weekdays” will enable you to plan effectively and measure your success objectively.</p>
<h2>2. Online Support Groups</h2>
<p>It might seem a little paradoxical, but you can actually use technology to help promote greater control over your screen time and digital overuse. One study has found that <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/7/1162">online peer support groups</a> — where people can discuss their experiences with harmful technology use and share information on how to overcome these problems — can help people adjust their digital diet in favour of their personal wellbeing. Even an open chat with your friends can help you understand when your tech use is harmful.</p>
<h2>3. Self-reflection</h2>
<p>Meanwhile, increasing your sense of self-awareness about addictive usage patterns can also help you manage your digital usage. You can do this by <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2014/425924/">identifying applications we use repetitively and recognising the triggers</a> that prompt this excessive consumption. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320997539_Outcome_of_the_Psychological_Intervention_Program_Internet_Use_for_Youth">Self-awareness</a> can also be attained by reflecting on emotional and cognitive processing. This involves recognising feelings and psychological needs behind excessive digital usage. “If I don’t instantly reply to a group conversation, I will lose my popularity” is a problematic thought that leads to increased screen time. Reflecting on the veracity of such thoughts can help release people from addictive patterns of digital usage.</p>
<h2>4. Know your triggers</h2>
<p>Acquiring self-awareness on addictive usage patterns can actually help us to identify unsatisfied needs that trigger digital overuse. When we do this, we can pave the way to define alternative <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563216307798?casa_token=teJOvoJ7CfEAAAAA:b00a7iuspQmrlZlRa0oVsyW53WST66-G_Qv5eit_nVepTGHADIIJ21v-H3SfO2xIz9SMr6nwUA">behaviours and interests to satisfy those needs</a> in different ways.</p>
<p>Mindfulness meditation, for instance, could be an alternative way of relieving stress, fears, or anxiety that currently leads users to digital overuse. If you feel your digital overuse might simply be due to boredom, then physical activity, cooking, or adopting offline hobbies can all provide alternative forms of entertainment. Again, technology can actually help enable this, for example by letting you create online groups for simultaneous exercising, producing a hybrid solution to unhealthy digital habits.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Father and daughter have fun cooking in kitchen" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377763/original/file-20210108-19-oykluw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377763/original/file-20210108-19-oykluw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377763/original/file-20210108-19-oykluw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377763/original/file-20210108-19-oykluw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377763/original/file-20210108-19-oykluw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377763/original/file-20210108-19-oykluw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377763/original/file-20210108-19-oykluw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cooking is one alternative to unhealthy digital habits.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>5. Prioritise the social</h2>
<p>We must also remember that our relationship with digital media reflects our inner drives. Humans are innately social creatures, and socialising with others is important to our mental wellbeing. Social media can enhance our opportunities for social contact, and support <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0093650220958224">several positive aspects of mental wellbeing</a>, such as peer support and the enhancement of self-esteem. The engagement with media to purposefully socialise during a lockdown can support our mental health, rather than being detrimental to our wellbeing. </p>
<p>Ultimately, technology companies also have a responsibility to both understand and be transparent about <a href="http://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/32620/">how the design of their platforms</a> may cause harm. These companies should empower users with explanations and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/17/6128#">tools</a> to help them make informed decisions about their digital media use. </p>
<p>While we may consider this as a legitimate user requirement, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-54980393">technology companies</a> seem to be at the very early stages of delivering it. In the meantime, reflecting on when and why we turn to our screens is a good basis upon which to form positive digital habits during new lockdowns imposed this year.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/152715/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>During lockdowns, we live our lives through our screens. Here, tech experts share their tips on when - and how - to switch off.John McAlaney, Associate Professor in Psychology, Bournemouth UniversityDeniz Cemiloglu, Researcher, Bournemouth UniversityRaian Ali, Professor, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1412612020-07-15T12:12:17Z2020-07-15T12:12:17ZWith kids spending more waking hours on screens than ever, here’s what parents need to worry about<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/346205/original/file-20200707-42-iw60pd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6140%2C3143&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Today's children are getting way more screen time than usual.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/boy-playing-video-game-on-computer-royalty-free-image/1216829942">Isabel Pavia/Moment collection via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Millions of <a href="https://theconversation.com/nearly-3-in-4-us-moms-were-in-the-workforce-before-the-covid-19-pandemic-is-that-changing-141510">working parents</a> have spent months largely trapped in their homes with their children. Many are trying to get their jobs done remotely in the constant presence of their kids, and they are desperate for some peace and quiet.</p>
<p>Many mothers and fathers have sought any available remedy that would enable them to do their jobs and fight cabin fever – including some who have given their children a free pass on video games, social media and television. One survey of more than 3,000 parents found that screen time for their kids had <a href="https://parents-together.org/parents-alarmed-as-kids-screen-time-skyrockets-during-covid-19-crisis-heres-what-you-can-do/">increased by 500% during the pandemic</a>. </p>
<h2>Screen time rules</h2>
<p>In case you missed it, when the <a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/325147/WHO-NMH-PND-2019.4-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y">World Health Organization released daily screen time guidelines</a> for children in April 2019, it suggested tight limits.</p>
<p>Infants should get none at all, and kids between the ages of 1 and 5 should spend no more than one hour daily staring at devices. The WHO does not provide specific limits for older children, but some research has suggested that excessive screen time for teenagers could be <a href="https://time.com/5437607/smartphones-teens-mental-health/">linked to mental health problems like anxiety and depression</a>. </p>
<p>Kids were already spending far more time than recommended with screens before the pandemic, and had been for years.</p>
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<p>As far back as the late 1990s, children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old were averaging <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2019/02/how-screen-time-affects-kids-development.html?page=all">two and a half hours per day with their screens</a>. And, naturally, what <a href="https://theconversation.com/parents-cut-yourself-some-slack-on-screen-time-limits-while-youre-stuck-at-home-133904">screen time rules</a> families had been enforcing have been on hold since at least mid-March 2020, when most U.S. communities entered an era of social distancing.</p>
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<h2>Prone to distraction</h2>
<p>Should parents worry if their children are spending more time than ever online to learn, play and while away the hours until they can freely study and socialize again? The short answer is no – as long as they don’t allow pandemic screen time habits to morph into permanent screen time habits.</p>
<p>Shortly before the coronavirus led to schools across the country suspending in-person instruction for safety reasons, I wrapped up my upcoming book on the power of digital devices to distract students from their learning. In “<a href="https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/james-m-lang/distracted/9781541699816/">Distracted:
Why Students Can’t Focus and What You Can Do About It</a>,” I argue that trying to eliminate distractions from classroom takes the wrong approach. The human brain is naturally prone to distraction, as scientists and philosophers have been attesting for centuries now.</p>
<p>The problem with distraction in school is not the distractions themselves. Children and adults alike can use social media or view screens in perfectly healthy ways. </p>
<p>The problem occurs when excessive attention to screens crowds out other learning behaviors. A child watching YouTube on her phone in the classroom or during study time is not developing her writing skills or mastering new vocabulary. Teachers should consider how to cultivate better attention to those behaviors, rather than trying to eliminate all distractions.</p>
<p>Likewise, parents should not view screens as the enemy of their children, even if they do need to be wary of <a href="https://theconversation.com/increasing-screen-time-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-could-be-harmful-to-kids-eyesight-138193">the impact of excessive screen time on eye health</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/worry-over-kids-excessive-smartphone-use-is-more-justified-than-ever-before-108585">how much sleep their kids get</a>.</p>
<p>The trouble with excessive screen time is that it eclipses healthy behaviors that all children need. When children gaze passively at screens, they aren’t exercising, playing with their friends or siblings, or snuggling with their parents during story time.</p>
<p>What I believe parents need to worry about isn’t how much time kids are spending cradling their devices during our current crisis. It’s whether their children are forming habits that will continue after the pandemic’s over. Those habits could stop today’s youngest Americans from resuming healthier and more creative behaviors like reading or <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/family-time/imaginative-play-benefits/">imaginative play</a>.</p>
<p>If kids can kick their pandemic screen patterns, and return to the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000203">relatively healthier levels of screen time</a> they had before, they will probably be just fine. The human brain is remarkably malleable. It has extraordinary potential to rewire itself in the face of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK326735/">accident or illness</a> and <a href="https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/adaptations-of-the-brain">adapt to new circumstances</a>.</p>
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<h2>Making a habit of bingeing</h2>
<p>This feature of the human brain, known as <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-and-why-is-it-so-important-55967">neuroplasticity</a>, is one of the reasons that doctors and health organizations recommend limits to the screen time of young children. Experts, educators and families alike don’t want their brains developing as organs primarily designed for television binge-watching and video game marathons. </p>
<p>In the current moment, parents should be grateful for brain neuroplasticity, and take heart from the fact that whatever changes that might have occurred over the past few months need not be permanent ones. The brain <a href="https://positivepsychology.com/neuroplasticity/">transforms in response to our circumstances and behaviors</a> – and it changes again as those circumstances and behaviors evolve. A few months of excessive screen time won’t override an otherwise healthy childhood of moderate screen time and active play.</p>
<p>The ways in which work and school are adapting to social distancing suggest that screens are not the enemy. Rather, they are enabling people around the world to work and learn and communicate with loved ones during this extraordinary time.</p>
<p>The real enemies of healthy development in children are the same enemies adults face: a <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/sitting-disease-how-a-sedentary-lifestyle-affects-heart-health">sedentary lifestyle</a>, <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/05/ce-corner-isolation">social isolation</a> and <a href="https://research.udemy.com/research_report/udemy-depth-2018-workplace-distraction-report/">distractions from work and learning</a>. Using screens too much can contribute to all of these problems – but they can also counter them.</p>
<p>Researchers point out, after all, that <a href="https://theconversation.com/3-smart-ways-to-use-screen-time-while-coronavirus-keeps-kids-at-home-133896">not all screen time is equal</a>. You might not make the same judgment about a child writing a novel using Google Docs, FaceTiming with Grandma or using a smartphone to geocache with their friends.</p>
<p>As restrictions on everyone’s movements and activities evolve in the coming months, parents can support the healthy development of their children by encouraging them to return to such healthy and imaginative behaviors – whether they take place in front of screens or not.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/141261/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>James M. Lang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Children will probably be OK, especially if their families make sure this elevated level of screen time doesn’t turn into a long-term habit.James M. Lang, Professor of English and Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, Assumption CollegeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.