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Essay: Are digital platforms beneficial or harmful to children, parents and society?

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  • Subject area(s): Information technology essays
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  • Published: 20 January 2022*
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  • Words: 1,038 (approx)
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It is with no doubt that technology has brought about many changes in the way we interact and communicate, but also with the way we retrieve local and worldly news. We currently live in an era revolutionized by digital technology. But, with this sudden upspring, comes a tremendous disagreement whether digital platforms are beneficial or harmful to children, parents, and society.
Many may find that it’s tempting to look at how substandard is now but is so many ways it has excelled. In the year 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics softened their stance on screen time for young youth children. Their guidelines acknowledge that there are positives about modern media, not just dangers, but their core message was to make sure screen time is no displacing other important activities, such as adequate sleep and physical activity (Pryor, 2017 par. 14). In other words, it is okay for parents to relax, and let your kids indulge in TV (Pryor, 2017). Nonetheless, it’s also crucial that children and their parents be aware of how much screen time is being exercised. According to a survey conducted by the toy company Melissa & Doug, 70% of parents want their children to spend fewer times watching electronic media and 62% want them to spend less time on electronic devices (Riley, 2018 par. 1). This new year is a great time to rethink the house rules because your children don’t need a cellphone- they need a digital diet (Riley, 2018).
Even though these two authors have a different viewpoint, they equally agree on certain points. For instance, they both support the fact that when in doubt pull the technology out, meaning, kids should have the ability to use electronics in long car rides, trips to the emergency room, etc. this keeps the kids at ease and the parents stress-free. In addition, the authors defend that the constant use of technology lowers a child’s ability. A survey conducted by the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne released that researchers found that a third of preschoolers and two-thirds of primary school aged children have their own smartphone or tablets (Pryor, 2018 par. 6). This is a major concern based on the potential impact of screen time on sleep, given that almost half of children regularly use their devices at bedtime. It’s widely recommended keeping screens out of the bedroom and not using them in the hour before bedtime, for a better quality sleep (Pryor, 2017 par 7). However, not always is everyone in agreeance. Pryor mentions firsthand, with her family she defends her parenting by telling about the times spent outdoors, but return home to screens, kids watching their favorite YouTubers playing games such as “Minecraft and “Hello Neighbor” ( Pryor, 2017 par. 11). Meanwhile, the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Pryor and her kids are very similar in different ways, no matter how much time they spend outdoors, one way or another they end up back in front of the screen, and that’s okay you should reward your children for even making the effort of putting their devices down for a minute, let alone more than a few hours. However, Riley is not too fond of the new and improved ways of technology. A significant temptation of technology is its portability. In a widely read rant in the Washington Post, Amanda Hurley wrote about our culture of “snackism” for kids: “we walk around with trail mix and Sun Chips stuffed in our bags like we’re mobile, no-fee vending machines.” The same is true of our digital devices. Kids used to sit too long in front of the TV. But at least once you got them out to the house, that was the end of it. Now the TV can be perpetually and parents can dispense movies and video games like mobile, no-fee theaters and arcades. Snackism means children eat when they’re not hungry; on demand screen time in so better for them (Riley, 2018 par. 5)
There are similarities and differences in each article that explains the authors claim. Both authors stand in different positions towards the essential question because one finds no harm in permitting our youth it is “o.k to waste some of the 24 hours in a day, there is value in making space in your life for laziness and pleasure, for the purposeless passing of time” (Pryor, 2017, last par.). while on the other hand, Riley states that a parent should not give your kids their own phone/device lightly. A group called Wait Until 8th suggests parents hold off on kids’ phones until they are in the eighth grade, they point out that having a cellphone interferes with sleep, the formation of relationships, and it’s causing a distraction from schoolwork (Riley, 2018, par. 7)
The values and limitations of these articles are very simple, they believe parents should take the initiative of reducing screen time for our youth. Encourage them to release their stigma that in order to function you need to have a cellphone or some sort of device in front of you 24/7. But with each viewpoint comes its limitations, since both authors are trying to convince you to believe what they believe is right for your child, its a constant debate between which parent is “right” or “wrong”, who is being submissive and who is taking control. The only difference is Riley explained it great detail her standpoint. In my opinion, I don’t fall on the spectrum where I lean to one side, I see it fit that you should let your kids enjoy their screen time but with limitations and monitoring. It’s important to teach kids/youth the dangers they may face, primarily being exposed to cyberbullying and other harmful websites that can harm a child mentally, and physically, at such a young age. We are in a day and age where everything we see and do is online, so it’s crucial to take precautionary acts.
Works Cited
Pryor, L. (2017, July 04). Relax, Let Your Kids Indulge in TV.
Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com.libproxy.dtcc.edu/webapp/article?artno=396426&type=ART
Riley, N. (2018, January 02). Kids Don’t Need a Cellphone – – They Need a Digital Diet. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com.libproxy.dtcc.edu/webapp/article?artno=402999&type=ART
2019-3-5-1551794110

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