From online learning games to baby social media stars- it’s no secret that the children of our time are more online than ever before. When you think of children using electronics- what comes to mind? Maybe it’s a child watching Peppa Pig or asking if you have games on your phone- overall innocent and sweet. The issue arises when young children are provided with unrestricted internet access. Unrestricted internet access is when there are no measures taken by a parent or guardian to monitor the content their child is exposed to online. It may feel good to hand over an ipad to keep the child entertained for an hour or two, but people don’t often think about the threats hiding behind the screen. The internet is a wide open horizon containing any and every piece of information anyone could ever want at any time just a click away. This, however, includes content that children should never be exposed to- such as sexual content, violence, illegal acts, and predatory behaviors.
Some children are presented with a screen the day they are born and for most, that day doesn’t take too long to arrive. It becomes integrated into their daily lives-doomscrolling through Tiktok, watching Youtube after school, being on facetime with friends- and it can seem harmless. Screen time has been shown to reduce the amount of and quality of children’s interactions with others. This is due to excessive online activity hindering people’s cognitive abilities. Constantly being glued to the screen can shorten a person’s attention span as well as weakening their memory. This can cause issues in school as well as general daily life.
Excessive usage can also lead to problems with sleep. Teens are meant to get anywhere from 8-10 hours of sleep, elementary age children 9-12, and even more the younger they are. The blue light emitted from screens mimics daylight to the brain, which can reduce creation of the sleep hormone- melatonin. Engaging with content- such as intense video games- also releases an adrenalin, which can keep a person awake.
Social media is one of the largest factors of being online for most teens. Platforms like Tiktok, Instagram, and Snapchat are full of teens interacting with and making their own content. Most internet sensations tend to share the good in their lives- fancy yacht trips, perfect bodies, and other often unobtainable concepts. This can cause extreme self image issues in teenagers. Excessive social media usage is often linked to depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and self harm. This “culture of comparison” leads to people feeling like they aren’t enough because they don’t look a certain way, lead a certain life, or receive a certain amount of likes. Social media also opens a door to cyberbullying, with how simple it is to privately message anyone on the platforms.
Being “chronically online” can be harmful for anyone- not just children. Chronically online describes a person who spends so much time online that it hinders their abilities regarding face to face communication. It can sway someone’s opinions and leave them with less meaningful relationships because they fail to live in the moment. Setting up app timers, leaving the phone behind when going to eat or sleep, or even deleting apps that negatively affect mental health are steps toward a more healthy relationship with the internet. It can also be helpful to pick up more non-screen managed hobbies such as reading, hiking, or baking. Maybe, instead of checking Twitter it’s a better idea to invite your friends out to grab some coffee, or go on a walk in the park.
