‘Screen-time’ sickness and cures
The backlash against ‘screen time’ is in full swing, particularly by activist parents seeking to counter what they believe to be their kids ‘device addiction’. While this situation is totally understandable, and has been an issue for years, things have taken on a much more radical nature recently with several non-profit organizations taking up these concerns, putting pressure on the big technology companies, and getting them to agree to cooperate!
Studies by such organizations reveal the possibility of psychological and physical harm to user, which could entail legal liability to companies like Apple and Google.
For example, the Center for Humane Technology, in the United States, conducted a study revealing that eighth graders who are heavy users of smartphones and social media are “56% more likely to say they are unhappy; 27% more likely to be depressed; and 35% more likely to have a risk factor for suicide!”
One of the simplest methods to protect children and younger users is to adhere to the minimum ages set by digital services. In fact, the US even has federal regulations that are not being enforced in this regard; whereby a user must be 17 years old or more to open a YouTube account, 13 years old or more for Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat! What is actually happening is that close to 40% of kids have signed up for all those services by age 11! This situation could be avoided through parental knowledge and supervision.
That’s not all. A campaign called Commercial-Free Childhood filed a petition to Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, urging the company to discontinue Messenger Kids, a social media app designed for users under 13, while the US state of Colorado announced a ballot initiative to ban the sales of smartphones children under the age of 13!
That’s why the founder of another organization, called Common Sense, says that “tech companies are conducting a massive, real-time experiment on our kids, and, at present, no one is really holding them accountable.”
Investors in technology companies have been paying attention, and have asked their companies to act; probably driven by a combination of concern for the public and concern of losing future profits due to a backlash.
It actually makes perfect sense for Apple and Google to make it easier for consumers to cut back on phone use, because it could also mean using other products or services that they also offer in what is perceived to be safer and more responsible behavior.
Digital wellness products have taken off, whether as wearable devices or software. So, simply, these companies are pushing us to find a way to form healthy habits but through using our digital devices, without abandoning them! Is running while you glance at your smart watch considered to be harmful screen time? They think not.
Along those lines, Apple’s latest update to the iPhone operating system, iOS 12, includes a new feature called Screen Time which will send users weekly reports on how they are using their device to show them what is distracting them. It will also send parents reports from their children’s phones and set time limits on app usage. Another feature called Do Not Disturb includes a new bedtime mode that will enable users to darken their screen and hide notifications until the morning.
As for Google, they say their aim to help Android users take back their time. Google says the first step is ‘Awareness’, by understanding ones habits through monitoring and reporting device and app use. The next step is ‘Action’, whereby Google is introducing various tools in Android updates. App Timer is a tool that lets you set time limits per app, reminds you that you’ve exceeded them and could close the app or prevent you from re-opening it. There’s also Wind Down, which automatically sets your phone to Do Not Disturb at a predetermined time and adjusts your display settings. A related tool is Shush, which allows you to set your phone to Do Not Disturb by flipping it face down. There are also Batched Notifications settings that deliver all your YouTube notifications, for example, in the form of a once-daily digest.
Does this all still sound a bit too much? It’s not. Multiple studies have linked phone alerts to inattention, hyperactivity, and anxiety. In fact, years-long studies have now proven that active online behavior actually places an additional pressure on maintaining virtual relationships in addition to real ones.
Psychiatrists generally agree that our now insatiable quest for on-demand entertainment, coupled with our psychologically disturbing need for the validation offered by likes, comments and shares means that we could not stop watching or posting even if we wanted to! That is the text-book definition of addiction.
It’s official, high speed communications and technology have spoiled us. Now for the clean up operation!
