the impact of technology on youth essay

How Technology Affects Children Essay

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Introduction

Effects of modern technologies on children.

Modern technologies have become a norm since they have permeated all aspects of human life, economy, and society. The use of innovation is making it possible for many people to achieve their goals much faster. Unfortunately, the proliferation of smartphones, handheld devices, computers, social media platforms, and the Internet might negatively affect more children. This paper describes the possible impacts of modern innovations on young individuals and offers evidence-based suggestions for changing the situation.

The invention of modern technologies is an achievement that has emerged from continuous human research and development (R&D) and the global exchange of ideas. The original purpose of such developments was to transform people’s lives by empowering them to achieve their personal and professional goals much faster. These expectations explain why many educational institutions, parents, and childcare centers are relying on such technologies to meet the demands of more individuals and support those with learning disabilities (Dhende, 2019). However, the use of these resources has proved inappropriate or counterproductive for the greatest number of children.

The first potential impact is that more young individuals who start to use different technologies and the Internet may develop brains that are wired to scan information without the need to process it completely or effectively. Such a problem is attributable to the fact that technology has the potential to expose users to high data volumes (Haughton et al., 2015). Such an outcome can affect the thought processes and analytical abilities of the users. The performance of such children in their respective classes might worsen or deteriorate.

The second harm emerges when preschoolers receive various devices as a way of soothing them. While this approach might be capable of delivering short-term positive outcomes, experts believe that majority of the individuals will fail to develop the relevant emotional intelligence (EI) and stress management skills (Dhende, 2019). Such gaps could eventually make it impossible for more children to develop the desirable milestones throughout their early years of growth. This challenge explains why stakeholders need to be involved and find new ways to support all toddlers.

The third way the use of emerging innovations can affect more children is the nature of the available content. The Internet permits many people to access uncensored content from diverse sources. The number of videos, articles, and photographs with violent messages has been on the rise due to the emergence of various social media platforms (Dhende, 2019). Young individuals exposed to such works will eventually become violent and even find new strategies to argue with their siblings, parents, or even teachers. They may become less empathic or unable to control their feelings or tamper.

With the increasing number of users of the Internet and social media, more children are at a higher threat of cyber-related abuse or attack. Some will be bullied by different unknown people on the other end of the connection (Haughton et al., 2015). Affected children will be unable to cope in their classrooms and even record poor academic performance or grades (Dhende, 2019). They will also become withdrawn or violent depending on the nature of the abuse.

Analysts and scholars can describe or examine the issue of cyber-related abuse through the lens of conflict theory. Such a powerful model helps people understand how modern innovations continue to affect more children. Omer and Jabeen (2016) indicate that the model explains how the unavailability of resources forces some people to compete, thereby triggering unavoidable disagreements. The framework goes further to indicate that power and domination become the true sources of social order. Through the application of this model, it is agreeable that criminal or violent behaviors will always prevail in society. Some people focus on the nature of modern innovations to abuse children and engage in control mechanisms. This development explains why cases of Internet-based abuses and child mistreatment have been on the rise.

Finally, children who are exposed to different techniques will be unable to engage in various physical activities that are essential for improving interpersonal skills. They will lack adequate time to interact with their parents, peers, relatives, or tutors. The focus on new games and social media outlets will make them addicted and incapable of focusing on beneficial activities that can improve their social abilities. Consequently, they will find it hard to relate with others, solve emerging problems, or engage in critical thinking (Haughton et al., 2015). These negative aspects will eventually make it impossible for them to develop or grow up to become responsible members of society. Experts argue that parents and teachers should control and regulate the amount of technology time available to their children or students if they are to overcome most of these challenges.

The above discussion has identified modern innovations as powerful resources that have the potential to transform different industries. However, more children who are relying on them for learning, social interaction, and communication continue to experience diverse challenges. A superior model that dictates the way these individuals use different emerging technologies is needed to protect and make them successful in their lives.

• Dhende, T. R. (2019). The impact of using gadgets on children’s psychology . International Journal of Applied Research, 5 (8), 157-160. Web.
• Haughton, C., Aiken, M., & Cheevers, C. (2015). Cyber babies: The impact of emerging technology on the developing infant. Psychology Research, 5 (9), 504-518. Web.
• Omer, S., & Jabeen, S. (2016). Exploring Karl Marx conflict theory in education: Are Pakistani private schools maintaining status quo? Bulletin of Education and Research, 38 (2), 195-202. Web.
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How technology use is changing adolescents’ behaviors and their social, physical, and cognitive development

• Published: 19 January 2023
• Volume 42 , pages 16466–16469, ( 2023 )

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• Martina Benvenuti   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8575-5047 1 ,
• Michelle Wright   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6703-8586 2 ,
• John Naslund   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6777-0104 3 &
• Anne C. Miers   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5077-4731 4  

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The rapid spread of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in recent decades has pushed the use of smartphones, tablets, and their applications to become pervasive tools used in everyday life, especially among adolescents (Khang et al., 2013 ; Odaci & Çıkrıkçı, 2014 ). The possibility of being constantly connected significantly increases the amount of time adolescents spend online, and Web and mobile applications are ubiquitous in many adolescents’ lives (Durak, 2018 ). Research has shown that adolescents use the Internet more frequently (compared to adults) than other generations and in a more multipurpose context (Cain & Gradisar, 2010 ; Livingstone et al., 2011 ; O’Keeffe et al., 2011 ; Tzavela et al., 2015 , Casaló & Escario, 2018 ). The use of digital applications has also dramatically changed the way adolescents relate to their peers, access information, and engage in social relationships, and has also had a profound influence on their health, including their well-being (e.g., the impact of smartphone uses on the sleep-waking cycle), and on their cognitive development (e.g., level of attention in carrying out a task). Given the importance of considering technology use as having a profound role in adolescent development, one key question many scholars are now attempting to answer concerns how adolescents’ online presence shapes their offline lives; this question could be encapsulated as follows: “ Is technology use changing adolescents’ behaviors, their social, physical, and cognitive development? ”

Our principal focus in this special issue is on adolescence and digital natives. In this regard, we consider adolescence as the transition between childhood and adulthood, characterized by biological, cognitive, social, and psychological changes (Berk, 2017 ). Adolescents are also commonly referred to as “Digital Natives” (Prensky, 2001 ), meaning that they were born into a world where technology is central to daily life, they are learning and adopting technology from infancy, and as a result they think and process information in fundamentally different ways when compared to their predecessors, referred it as “digital immigrants”. Considering this definition, it is also important to note that the duration of adolescence, its demands, and pressures vary substantially between cultures (Berk, 2017 ). Most tribal and village societies have only a brief intervening phase between childhood and the full assumption of an adult role (Berk, 2017 ). On the other hand, young people in Western societies (e.g., Europe and North America) face a prolonged dependence on their parents and the postponement of sexual gratification while they prepare for a productive working life. As a result, adolescence is often greatly extended in these countries. In this regard, according to Berk ( 2017 ), for this special issue, we consider a wide range of the meaning of adolescence, which is reflected in the included papers that considered the following groups: Early Adolescence (11–12 to 14 years): this is a period of rapid pubertal change; Middle Adolescence (14 to 16 years): pubertal changes are now almost complete; Late Adolescence (16 to 18 years): the young person achieves their full adult appearance and begins to take on more adult roles. Then, considering all these aspects, the main goal of this special issue is to include papers on the impact of technology on adolescent development. Papers published consider different fields of research (e.g., psychology, sociology, health, data science, cognitive science) that describe the impact of technology on behavioral, social, physical, and cognitive changes during adolescence, and how technology may influence these changes in both positive or negative ways throughout adolescent development (psychological, sociological, physical, and cognitive). With this wide range of topics described across the included contributions, then we can ideally divide these papers into three macro sections.

Section 1: Behavioral and psychological changes during adolescence using technology

Around 71% of young people worldwide are internet-users compared to 48% of the world’s population. The highest reported percentage of internet users in this age group is in Europe where 97% of 15 to 24 year-olds are internet users.

Around 71% of young people worldwide are internet-users compared to 48% of the world’s population. The highest reported percentage of internet users in this age group is in Europe where 97% of 15- to 24-year-olds are internet users Footnote 1 . Similarly, in many lower resource countries globally, use of technology among adolescents is increasing rapidly, with smartphones, mobile apps, and social media platforms featuring prominently in the daily lives of many adolescents. Therefore, the internet provides teens with various opportunities, including the formation and maintenance of peer relationships, entertainment (e.g., watching videos and movies), access to information for schoolwork, and fast communication with parents, friends, and other individuals (Lenhart, 2015 ). Complicating the “picture” of teens’ online behaviors is that they often coordinate this activity simultaneously with spending time with their friends online and offline (Lenhart et al., 2015 ). Research suggests that many teens “hang out” with their friends online and “hangout” with their friends in person too (Lenhart et al., 2015 ). Despite these opportunities, teens are potentially exposed to harmful or disturbing content, experience internet victimization or online hate, and are exposed to identity theft, unwanted sexual solicitation, and sexual predation (Kuss et al., 2013 ; Weaver et al., 2011 ; Yakovlev & Kinney, 2008 ). Teens who are low-income, have a history of maltreatment, and disclose more personal information online are more likely to experience these online risks (Noll et al., 2013 ). Researchers, educators, and clinicians are also particularly concerned with the psychological risks and addictive potential of excessive internet use among teens. Prevention efforts have focused attention on promoting digital literacy skills, training parents and educators on teens’ exposure to online risks and promoting kindness online through various social awareness campaigns. Papers that refer to this section come from different cultures and social contexts and analyze the behavior of adolescents in the use of technologies. Summarizing the results of these research, it is highlighted how the time and way of using the internet (in general) and specific technologies influence adolescents’ behavior (development and application), and how this affects their personality, their social relationships, and their relationship with family and with peers.

Section 2: Cognitive and physiological development as well as impacts on health, mental health, and wellbeing

Having near constant access to technology and internet might affect teens’ cognitive development. The constant access to the internet might hinder teens’ memory abilities or the ability to engage in effortful thinking (Nasi & Koivusilta, 2012 ). Research indicates that near-constant access to the internet influences the kind of information people choose to remember (Sparrow et al., 2011 ). Such a finding might suggest an adaptation to the online environment where it is more efficient to remember where to access information easily than remembering specific information. Another concern is that teens’ ability to multitask between various activities, those online and offline, could shorten their attention spans. Furthermore, multitasking might include simultaneously accessing digital media and the internet while also engaging in other activities, like household chores (Common Sense Media, 2015 ). Social interactions online might also occur simultaneously with socializing offline, as teens might play consoles or mobile phone games, surf social media, and video chat others while a friend is present. Findings from one study revealed that heavy media users were much better at switching between tasks than light media users (Alzahabi & Becker, 2013 ). By focusing attention on the function for which a technology is built and reasoning from the adolescent development perspective, it is possible to say that when the use of a technology supports an adolescent activity (or compensates for its shortcomings) to reach a goal or to facilitate its achievement, then this technology is functional to the adolescent development. On the contrary, when this does not happen the technology is dysfunctional and can lead to problematic use. Papers in this section highlight the results of research that show the effects and potential of technologies in the development of adolescent well-being, with a focus also on risk prevention, gender differences and gender equality.

Section 3: Explores potential for digital health interventions (DHIs) to have positive effects on promoting adolescent health/wellbeing, adoption of positive health behaviors, cognitive development, and positive impact on other important aspects of adolescent development

Digital health interventions (DHIs), involving computer-assisted therapy, smartphone apps, online interventions, and wearable technologies, have been developed for a wide variety of adolescent mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, autism, psychosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (Alvarez-Jimenez., et al. 2014 ; Hollis et al., 2017 ; Lim et al., 2019 ). According to a systematic and meta-review, modest clinical benefit of DHIs was found mainly for depression and anxiety and particularly for computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT; Hollis et al., 2017 ). In short, anxiety and depression symptoms were found to improve through cCBT. However, the evidence was mainly relevant to late adolescents (16–18 years old) with mild to moderate symptoms, though for other mental health outcomes (e.g., psychosis, ADHD, eating disorders) the evidence is limited. Moreover, the review concluded that DHIs were not necessarily favored by adolescents’ over face-to-face contact. This suggests that the commonly held assumption that DHIs are preferred among adolescents may not accurately portray their views or perceptions, and explorative qualitative research could inform this issue (Hollis et al., 2017 ). Methodological issues abound in this field: there is great heterogeneity among DHIs, and a taxonomy does not exist to specify components of DHIs making comparison across studies difficult; studies are generally under-powered and poorly controlled. Hollis et al. ( 2017 ) suggested that more research should be conducted on how DHIs should be tailored to personal requirements, what the active components or ingredients in DHIs are (i.e., what is driving change?), cost-effectiveness, investigation of how much human facilitation/support is necessary, DHI effects in the offline world, and the use and effectiveness of mHealth smartphone/tablet apps. Additionally, most studies rely on self-reported data from subjects, making it difficult to fully explore the effects of technology use on different changes in physiology and behaviors (George & Odgers, 2015 ). Results described in the papers referring to this section show how DHIs are extremely relevant for adolescents, and how they can positively support the changes that occur in this age, considering the uncertainties, changes and physical exploration and different stages of adolescence.

In this special issue we have tried to collect the latest research that addresses the most relevant issues for adolescents, taking into consideration a broad spectrum of cultures and populations of adolescents. Future research on these issues should take into consideration some aspects that may be relevant in the future for adolescents, who will later become adults in the future. A very relevant aspect is certainly their well-being, an in-depth study on the use of technologies and well-being could lead to results and the formation of educational and psychological paths, that can help adolescents to face the challenges that this difficult phase of development offers. A second aspect concerns the importance of monitoring the development of changes in interpersonal relationships, both at the family level and with peers. The relevance of building relationships in adolescence is fundamental for a positive physical and psychological development. The significance of online relationships is linked to this aspect. In the teenagers of tomorrow, now digital natives, there is no longer the difference between online relationships and offline relationships, there is a concept of onlife: their relationships merge into a unique dimension. The value of focusing on managing these relationships is also fundamental for handling the use of social networking sites (SNSs) and adolescents’ online reputation (What place and with whom). Finally, we want to emphasize the meaning of research that can include multiple scientific, interdisciplinary sectors that can create ideas for the new challenges of the future, and that can keep pace with the social, cultural, and behavioral changes of future adolescents worldwide.

https://www.wish.org.qa/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/WISH-Digital-Technology-and-Child-Wellbeing.12.04.22-V06.pdf .

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Benvenuti, M., Wright, M., Naslund, J. et al. How technology use is changing adolescents’ behaviors and their social, physical, and cognitive development. Curr Psychol 42 , 16466–16469 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04254-4

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Scrutinizing the effects of digital technology on mental health

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The topic in brief

• There is an ongoing debate about whether social media and the use of digital devices are detrimental to mental health.

• Adolescents tend to be heavy users of these devices, and especially of social media.

• Rates of teenage depression began to rise around 2012, when adolescent use of social media became common (Fig. 1).

• Some evidence indicates that frequent users of social media have higher rates of depression and anxiety than do light users.

• But perhaps digital devices could provide a way of gathering data about mental health in a systematic way, and make interventions more timely.

Figure 1 | Depression on the rise. Rates of depression among teenagers in the United States have increased steadily since 2012. Rates are higher and are increasing more rapidly for girls than for boys. Some researchers think that social media is the cause of this increase, whereas others see social media as a way of tackling it. (Data taken from the US National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Table 11.2b; go.nature.com/3ayjaww )

JONATHAN HAIDT: A guilty verdict

A sudden increase in the rates of depression, anxiety and self-harm was seen in adolescents — particularly girls — in the United States and the United Kingdom around 2012 or 2013 (see go.nature.com/2up38hw ). Only one suspect was in the right place at the right time to account for this sudden change: social media. Its use by teenagers increased most quickly between 2009 and 2011, by which point two-thirds of 15–17-year-olds were using it on a daily basis 1 . Some researchers defend social media, arguing that there is only circumstantial evidence for its role in mental-health problems 2 , 3 . And, indeed, several studies 2 , 3 show that there is only a small correlation between time spent on screens and bad mental-health outcomes. However, I present three arguments against this defence.

First, the papers that report small or null effects usually focus on ‘screen time’, but it is not films or video chats with friends that damage mental health. When research papers allow us to zoom in on social media, rather than looking at screen time as a whole, the correlations with depression are larger, and they are larger still when we look specifically at girls ( go.nature.com/2u74der ). The sex difference is robust, and there are several likely causes for it. Girls use social media much more than do boys (who, in turn, spend more of their time gaming). And, for girls more than boys, social life and status tend to revolve around intimacy and inclusion versus exclusion 4 , making them more vulnerable to both the ‘fear of missing out’ and the relational aggression that social media facilitates.

Second, although correlational studies can provide only circumstantial evidence, most of the experiments published in recent years have found evidence of causation ( go.nature.com/2u74der ). In these studies, people are randomly assigned to groups that are asked to continue using social media or to reduce their use substantially. After a few weeks, people who reduce their use generally report an improvement in mood or a reduction in loneliness or symptoms of depression.

The best way forward

Third, many researchers seem to be thinking about social media as if it were sugar: safe in small to moderate quantities, and harmful only if teenagers consume large quantities. But, unlike sugar, social media does not act just on those who consume it. It has radically transformed the nature of peer relationships, family relationships and daily activities 5 . When most of the 11-year-olds in a class are on Instagram (as was the case in my son’s school), there can be pervasive effects on everyone. Children who opt out can find themselves isolated. A simple dose–response model cannot capture the full effects of social media, yet nearly all of the debate among researchers so far has been over the size of the dose–response effect. To cite just one suggestive finding of what lies beyond that model: network effects for depression and anxiety are large, and bad mental health spreads more contagiously between women than between men 6 .

In conclusion, digital media in general undoubtedly has many beneficial uses, including the treatment of mental illness. But if you focus on social media, you’ll find stronger evidence of harm, and less exculpatory evidence, especially for its millions of under-age users.

What should we do while researchers hash out the meaning of these conflicting findings? I would urge a focus on middle schools (roughly 11–13-year-olds in the United States), both for researchers and policymakers. Any US state could quickly conduct an informative experiment beginning this September: randomly assign a portion of school districts to ban smartphone access for students in middle school, while strongly encouraging parents to prevent their children from opening social-media accounts until they begin high school (at around 14). Within 2 years, we would know whether the policy reversed the otherwise steady rise of mental-health problems among middle-school students, and whether it also improved classroom dynamics (as rated by teachers) and test scores. Such system-wide and cross-school interventions would be an excellent way to study the emergent effects of social media on the social lives and mental health of today’s adolescents.

NICK ALLEN: Use digital technology to our advantage

It is appealing to condemn social media out of hand on the basis of the — generally rather poor-quality and inconsistent — evidence suggesting that its use is associated with mental-health problems 7 . But focusing only on its potential harmful effects is comparable to proposing that the only question to ask about cars is whether people can die driving them. The harmful effects might be real, but they don’t tell the full story. The task of research should be to understand what patterns of digital-device and social-media use can lead to beneficial versus harmful effects 7 , and to inform evidence-based approaches to policy, education and regulation.

Long-standing problems have hampered our efforts to improve access to, and the quality of, mental-health services and support. Digital technology has the potential to address some of these challenges. For instance, consider the challenges associated with collecting data on human behaviour. Assessment in mental-health care and research relies almost exclusively on self-reporting, but the resulting data are subjective and burdensome to collect. As a result, assessments are conducted so infrequently that they do not provide insights into the temporal dynamics of symptoms, which can be crucial for both diagnosis and treatment planning.

By contrast, mobile phones and other Internet-connected devices provide an opportunity to continuously collect objective information on behaviour in the context of people’s real lives, generating a rich data set that can provide insight into the extent and timing of mental-health needs in individuals 8 , 9 . By building apps that can track our digital exhaust (the data generated by our everyday digital lives, including our social-media use), we can gain insights into aspects of behaviour that are well-established building blocks of mental health and illness, such as mood, social communication, sleep and physical activity.

Stress and the city

These data can, in turn, be used to empower individuals, by giving them actionable insights into patterns of behaviour that might otherwise have remained unseen. For example, subtle shifts in patterns of sleep or social communication can provide early warning signs of deteriorating mental health. Data on these patterns can be used to alert people to the need for self-management before the patterns — and the associated symptoms — become more severe. Individuals can also choose to share these data with health professionals or researchers. For instance, in the Our Data Helps initiative, individuals who have experienced a suicidal crisis, or the relatives of those who have died by suicide, can donate their digital data to research into suicide risk.

Because mobile devices are ever-present in people’s lives, they offer an opportunity to provide interventions that are timely, personalized and scalable. Currently, mental-health services are mainly provided through a century-old model in which they are made available at times chosen by the mental-health practitioner, rather than at the person’s time of greatest need. But Internet-connected devices are facilitating the development of a wave of ‘just-in-time’ interventions 10 for mental-health care and support.

A compelling example of these interventions involves short-term risk for suicide 9 , 11 — for which early detection could save many lives. Most of the effective approaches to suicide prevention work by interrupting suicidal actions and supporting alternative methods of coping at the moment of greatest risk. If these moments can be detected in an individual’s digital exhaust, a wide range of intervention options become available, from providing information about coping skills and social support, to the initiation of crisis responses. So far, just-in-time approaches have been applied mainly to behaviours such as eating or substance abuse 8 . But with the development of an appropriate research base, these approaches have the potential to provide a major advance in our ability to respond to, and prevent, mental-health crises.

These advantages are particularly relevant to teenagers. Because of their extensive use of digital devices, adolescents are especially vulnerable to the devices’ risks and burdens. And, given the increases in mental-health problems in this age group, teens would also benefit most from improvements in mental-health prevention and treatment. If we use the social and data-gathering functions of Internet-connected devices in the right ways, we might achieve breakthroughs in our ability to improve mental health and well-being.

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Competing Interests

N.A. has an equity interest in Ksana Health, a company he co-founded and which has the sole commercial licence for certain versions of the Effortless Assessment of Risk States (EARS) mobile-phone application and some related EARS tools. This intellectual property was developed as part of his research at the University of Oregon’s Center for Digital Mental Health (CDMH).

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Youth on Tech: Technology’s impact on education and jobs

For the remainder of 2019 stay tuned to Research World for monthly articles that share the insights from a global survey with over 2,000 youths aged 11-18 years old. This series will explore:

• How youths currently use technology, such as voice and social media. For example, did you know that 47% of youths have more than one social media account on at least one social media platform?
• How youths think emerging technologies will impact their education, working life and healthcare.

Welcome back to Youth on Tech. Until now, we’ve been exploring youth’s usage and feelings towards current technologies (e.g. voice and social media). This article, the fifth in the series, now looks to the future, exploring how youths think emerging technologies will impact them and the generation that succeeds them, focussing on education and employment.

Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain are revolutionising entire industries such as advertising and banking respectively. Given that technology’s development is unlikely to slow down anytime soon, we wanted to understand how youths feel about emerging technologies.

Most Youths Think Future Technology Will Be Positive for Them

Generally, youths are optimistic and upbeat about the impact technology will have on their lives. Emotions such as happiness and excitement are felt by most youths when asked to think about the role technology will play in their lives in the next 10 years.

However, some youths aged 16-18 years old temper this optimism with apprehension. Approximately ¼ state they are concerned (27%) when thinking about future technology and that it makes them nervous (19%) and scared (17%).

The Future Curriculum May Include AI and Robotics

What will children 20 years from now be taught in school to prepare them for a vastly different workplace? When posed this question, youths prioritise STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects and emerging fields such as Computer Science and Robotics. Of the non-STEM subjects, youths think that languages are the most likely to still be taught in schools in 20 years’ time. This is despite services such as Google Translate and instant translation devices such as Ili .

STEM subjects also dominate when youths choose the single subject they think will be the most important to study in 20 years’ time. However, this focus on the most important subject brings Computer Science and AI to the top of the list. This shows a slight shift in what youths think will be taught (existing STEM subjects) and what they think will be the most important to teach (emerging technologies).

Who Better to Teach Robotics in School Than Robots?

Future changes to schools aren’t limited to the curriculum. Robotics may in fact be taught by robots. 73% of youths think robots will eventually teach in schools. Furthermore, 46% believe this will occur in the next 20 years. Robotic teaching may allow for more personalised learning and provide a solution to the growing classroom sizes in secondary schools in the UK . Students learn at different paces and the ability to tailor a lesson to each pupil’s learning speed could be powerful.

Despite this, 80% of youths also think that the teaching profession isn’t under threat from technology. This suggests youths see robotic teachers as supplementary as opposed to replacements for human teachers. Stand down John Connor.

So, if education needs to change to accommodate a new job market, what does this job market look like?

Cleaners and Taxi Drivers Will Be the Most Effected by Technology

AI and automation can potentially disrupt the job market more than previous technology. 57% of today’s jobs are vulnerable to automation . Even creative jobs aren’t safe from AI – algorithms have already written musical pieces and contributed to creative filmmaking decisions .

Youths planning their future careers may need to take into account the effect automation is going to have on the job market. For governments, it is important to consider which jobs are at most risk of automation so that support can be provided for those most in need. Youths believe those jobs to be cleaners and taxi drivers followed by those in customer service. Vocations least effected by automation according to youths will be athletes, entrepreneurs/inventors and courtroom judges and lawyers. The latter two involving human judgement to impact another human’s life.

Youths are Divided on Whether Humans Working Less Is Good or Bad

Much like the apprehension shown by youths aged 16-18 with regards to future technology in general, 62% of that age group also consider humans working less a bad thing compared to only 41% of 11-12 year olds. Being older, they’re likely more aware of the social, financial and political ramifications of such a colossal change in the job market.

Next month is a bumper edition of Youth on Tech with two articles:

1) Future technology’s impact on health

2) How insights from this research were shared with the technology industry

Matthew Hellon

Junior Research Executive, Northstar Research Partners, UK

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Home — Essay Samples — Information Science and Technology — Impact of Technology — The Effects of Technology on American Youth: Rewarding Or Risky

The Effects of Technology on American Youth: Rewarding Or Risky

• Categories: Impact of Technology Negative Impact of Technology

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Words: 2185 |

11 min read

Published: Feb 8, 2022

Words: 2185 | Pages: 5 | 11 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, problems in academics rise, the overuse of technology in modern youth, youth’s mental health, the increase of anger in youth, the increase of learning for children.

• How Does Technology Affect Teen Health and Well-Being? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nais.org/learn/independent-ideas/september-2017/how-does-technology-affect-teen-health-and-well-being/
• Technology may have negative social effect on kids. (2017, April 12). Retrieved from https://universe.byu.edu/2017/04/12/technology-may-have-negative-social-effect-on-kids/
• Strasburger, V. C., Jordan, A. B., & Donnerstein, E. (2010, April 01). Health Effects of Media on Children and Adolescents. Retrieved from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/4/756
• How-Media-Can-Affect-Children's-Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/How-Media-Can-Affect-Children's-Health.aspx
• Ben-Joseph, E. P. (Ed.). (2016, December). How Media Use Affects Your Child (for Parents). Retrieved from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tv-affects-child.html
• The Impact Of Media – Good, Bad Or Somewhere In Between. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://careersinpsychology.org/impact-media/
• Unite For Sight. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.uniteforsight.org/global-health-university/sesame-street
• Pellissier, H. (n.d.). Effects of social media on a child's brain. Retrieved from https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/child-brain-development-and-social-media

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Impact Of Technology On Youth Essay

The sample essay on Impact Of Technology On Youth Essay deals with a framework of research-based facts, approaches and arguments concerning this theme. To see the essay’s introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion, read on.

Instructor:

How Technology Impacts Young People

The rapid advancement in technology has helped in shaping the future of the young generation. For decades, machines have been used, but with the recent advancement, they deserve a considerable enhancement to enable better learning system.

For instance, the use of computers such Internet applications that allow the youths to capitalize their greatest learning resource has been on the increase. Technology advancement has contributed to effective communication and enhanced better socialization among the youths. However, digital technology has contributed to negative and positive effects among the young generation in the modern society. The youths have been exposed to digital technology to an extent that the society has started experiencing the impact of this technology.

Therefore, if the societies make the right decisions now, they can substantially make better changes in the ways technology can be used today and for future generations without affecting young people. Since technology is integrated into the young people’s lives, it is vital to discuss how technology affects them positively and negatively.

Technology advancement has positively affected the lives of young people in diverse ways. First, with the advancement in technology, lives of young people have become much easier because technology is helping them to accomplish what was formerly not achievable.

Proficient in: Communication

“ Ok, let me say I’m extremely satisfy with the result while it was a last minute thing. I really enjoy the effort put in. ”

For instance, the use of machine devices such as telephones, televisions, radios as well as the internet, have made lives of the younger generation easier. This is because they can use technologies such as computer games in advancing their skills in sports. Moreover, it creates awareness of the changes occurring across the globe. For instance, the young generation can learn about healthcare benefits thus becoming aware of the way they can maintain their body healthy. This is done through mass media such as televisions and radios thus raising awareness among the young generations.

Secondly, technology in communication benefits the young people in many ways. Through the use of phones and Internet applications, the youths are able to make communication efficiently and effectively. This is because the use of Internet especially the use of emails helps in delivering information faster and effectively due to high speed and clarity. Cases of fraud are controlled and its proximity makes communication process reliable. Moreover, it makes socialization easier because many youths are connected on Face Book, Gmail and Yahoo chat lists thus they meet with many friends across the globe. Youths utilize the internet in communicating with friends and relatives freely and participate in significant social activities.

Lastly, technology has helped in the education sector in many ways. First, many educational institutions both public as well as private ones incorporate computer as part of the educational process. This is because computers aid in research processes for various courses under study. For instance, in the information technology course, computer engineers or programmers work hard in order to integrate and manipulate methods as well as systematize the programs. They do so in order to compete with others in a computerized world. In fact, the Internet as part of technology has aided in the research process. This is the central purpose of using technology in education. This is because students are nowadays able to find online materials such as books, scholarly journals and on line dictionaries thus making the research work easier (Veletsianos 39).

Another way it has helped in education is through sharing knowledge through on line discussions. Students share their learning ideas on a certain topic of discussion through active participation in online discussions. Moreover, many students are able to attain degrees for various courses through distance education programs and even they can use Internet for job searching. The internet is remarkably educational because skilled educators create a rich learning environment whereby students are being introduced to new ideas. Technology has helped students to develop new skills as well as expanded their knowledge in wider subjects. This is because the informed technology engages students to participate and learn new experiences. This is through creating a community of students a cross the environmental boundaries.

In addition, technology has helped in simplifying the life of youths in the education sector. This is because it has loads of valuable effects to the young generation in the society (Hutchby 29). This is because technology has played a vital role in improving the student’s learning skills. The quality of public education especially mass media has helped to create awareness among the youths. In fact, many institutions advertise the best learning institutions for obtaining degrees or masters thus enabling students to identify the best learning environment suitable for advancing their studies. Through utilization of websites, students in poor communities can get access to better libraries and best instructors around the world. This is crucial because students will develop basic academic skills thus improving students and teachers’ access to educational information.

On the other hand, technology advancement has negatively affected the lives of young people in various ways. First, it has induced attention deficit. The attention deficit prevalence on the youths has increased dramatically. According to the research study carried out on the negative impact of technology, it was found that there are high increased cases whereby youths are diagnosed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Bougie 65). This problem is associated with inattentiveness, impulsivity, or both. It is a most common disorder that affects children. Hutchby (78) argues that ADHD is a development disorder caused by too much time spent on technologies especially watching video games. The rapid pace appears to be a vital element linked with exposure of video games and attention deficits.

Secondly, digital divides are yet another disadvantage of technology. Sefton-Green (102) points out that digital technology has led to contradictions in the technology age for young people. It has led to contradictions through communication process. He further clarifies that through misinterpretations of information, there have been cases of gender divides among the youths. The research reveals that more than a half of young men and nine percent of young women would admit about their interests towards technical issues (Valdez 2011). Similarly, technological literacy differences tend to create gender gaps. This is because of the cost cutting edge of technology, which creates generation gaps between the highly prosperous and the less prosperous regions.

Thirdly, the massive advancement in technology has complicated the lives of the young generation. This is because those who are unable to get the latest gadgets are excluded from other peers’ social activities. This is what is termed as consumerism and technological dependence (Valdez 2011). The young generations grow up in a world where technical devices are rampart. Thus, gadgets such as mobile phones and hand held computers have complicated their lives. It has structured their lives in a manner that even their way of making of appointments, language as well as aesthetic preferences are very complicated (Valdez 2011).

Lastly, technology has hut education in varied ways. First, the innovative technology has changed educational values and shared behaviors of young people. The major concern in this case is that many students spend much of their time watching pornography and playing video games instead of studying. Moreover, instead of being in class, some of them visit cyber cafes to chat with their friends and to play video games. Others pretend that they are doing research work in the computer room but instead they are listening and downloading music from music websites and blogs. This has been noticed by parents, educators and the government, but they have still neglected to help students. Thus, because of this technology, the performances of students in many schools have declined (Veletsianos 93).

In addition, it has affected the young people’s writing habits. The writing styles of abbreviating names especially when youths are writing short messages have significantly contributed to poor language development. The youths consider this style of writing as the formal and faster ways of writing in the modern generation. This has led to poor performance in schools especially in languages subjects because of grammatical errors. This is because they are used with this habit of communication through short messages. Thus, they have ended up implementing that style in schoolwork. In fact, many youths spend much of their time interacting via text messages. They use acronyms and abbreviations in writing. These methods have become ingrained in the minds of the youths. Hence, it has become the common as well as formal style of writing in learning institutions.

In conclusion, since technology is integrated into the young people’s lives, it is vital to discuss how technology affects them positively and negatively. First, it has helped youths to accomplish what was formerly not achievable. They are able to make communication efficiently and effectively. Additionally, in education, it has helped in research and students share their learning ideas through active participation in online discussions. On the other hand, it has negatively affected the youths. This is because it has induced attention deficit and created digital divides as well as complicated the life of youths. It has hurt education because of changed educational values and shared behaviors of young people. This is because students spend much of their time in watching pornographies. Moreover, it has changed their writing styles. This is because students have developed vague acronyms and abbreviations thus resulting to poor performance in learning institutions.

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Home / Blog

Children and Technology: Positive and Negative Effects

January 18, 2022 

Tables of Contents

Evolution of Children’s Use of Technology

Positive and negative effects of technology on children, technology and children statistics, technology and social interaction in children, ensuring safe and nurturing digital environments for children.

Imagine spending a year or more of your childhood almost entirely at home: no time in a classroom, no chance to join friends on the playground, and very few opportunities to enjoy favorite pastimes and experience new places, people, and activities.

The worldwide lockdowns that helped limit the spread of the coronavirus created a kind of twilight zone for children that put much of their environment off-limits and kept them separated from everyone but their immediate families. However, not all was lost. What vestiges of their pre-COVID life children were able to maintain were made possible by a range of technologies that kept them learning, interacting with friends, and entertained.

The growing presence of technology in children’s lives, from their first year through their teens, is a double-edged sword. While technologies are neutral, how they are applied and how children are exposed to them can be either positive or negative.

The impact of children and technology becomes increasingly difficult to gauge as the pace of technological innovation speeds up. This guide presents a snapshot of the many roles that technology products and services play in the lives of children. It balances the pluses and minuses of the effects of technology use by children on their development, social interactions, and prospects for the future.

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From the earliest electric model trains in the early 20th century through the first home video game systems and remote-controlled toys, children’s introduction to technology has been through their toys. What were marvels of technology three, two, or even one generation ago seem almost quaint by today’s standards. However, the progress from Pong to Oculus virtual reality games occurred in a relatively brief period of time.

Early Examples of Children and Technology

Children have been interacting with digital technology since the earliest days of the PC revolution . One of the first electronic educational toys was Texas Instruments’ Speak & Spell, which was released in the late 1970s. This relatively simple device was a precursor to the first PCs designed for children in the 1980s. It also presaged the growth of computer-assisted instruction hardware and software in the pre-World Wide Web era.

• The first Speak & Spell toys debuted in 1978 to teach children ages 7 and older how to pronounce and spell 200 commonly misspelled words. It relied on electronic speech synthesis and bubble memory (a precursor to RAM) and was the first such product to use solid-state circuitry to replace all moving parts.
• While Magnavox’s Odyssey was the first gaming console upon its release in 1972, the device was soon eclipsed by the home version of Atari’s Pong arcade video game, which began shipping in 1975. This was followed by the Atari 2600 game console in 1977 and similar devices from Nintendo, Mattel, and Coleco, among other vendors. Sega and Nintendo came to dominate the home video market through the 1980s, along with Commodore, Atari, and Sony’s PlayStation, which was released in 1994.

Evolution of Technology Designed to Educate and Entertain Children

The arrival of the World Wide Web in the mid-1990s changed that nature of tech toys and education hardware and software. Smart Toy Lab , an Intel and Mattel joint venture launched in 1998, developed the first web-connected interactive toys, or “smart toys.” Among the first toys the lab developed were the QX3 Microscope, which featured a built-in video camera that sent images to a PC via a USB link, and the Me2Cam, which let children play interactive games using gestures to move “objects” on the screen.

Some early internet-connected toys and educational devices were criticized for violating children’s privacy by collecting personal information without parental consent. For example, Hello Barbie was released in 2015 and featured a built-in microphone and voice recognition software, as well as a Wi-Fi connection. The doll’s call-and-response function was a precursor to Amazon’s Alexa/Echo and Apple’s Siri voice assistants. However, hackers soon figured out how to break into the toy’s system and access users’ private information.

Today many children — from toddlers to teenagers — regularly use tablets, smartphones, and virtual environments for entertainment and educational purposes. Pandemic-related restrictions have increased children’s reliance on these and other technologies to connect with the outside world. With increased use of these products comes heightened prospects of damage and abuse:

• A recent study published in Children and Youth Services Review identified problematic smartphone use (present in 16.4% of high school students surveyed), daytime sleepiness (20.2%), and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (6.9%) as spiking during pandemic lockdowns.
• A study published in the Italian Journal of Pediatrics found that 66.3% of the children and adolescents surveyed used their smartphone for more than four hours a day during the pandemic, compared with 16.3% who did so before the pandemic. In addition, 56% of the children and adolescents surveyed used their smartphone after midnight at least three times each week, compared with 30.4% before the pandemic.

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The shutdown of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic brought the damaging effect of the digital divide between rich and poor families into sharp focus. Pew Research Center data shows that the “homework gap” created by remote learning affected low-income families more than middle- and upper-income families. K-12 students who ever had to do schoolwork on a cellphone: lower income: 37%; middle income: 24%; upper income: 16%. K-12 students who ever lacked access to a home computer to complete schoolwork: lower income: 25%; middle income: 15%; upper income: 2%. K-12 students who ever relied on public Wi-Fi to complete schoolwork: lower income: 23%; middle income: 11%; upper income: 4%.

Children can benefit from technology by gaining new learning opportunities; it’s especially important for children who are physically or developmentally challenged. However, technology use has also been found to contribute to poor self-esteem and isolation in some children. As digital technologies become more ubiquitous, parents struggle to find the optimum amount of technology for their children’s lives.

Positive Effects of Technology on Children

All the “rules” about children’s access to computers and the internet were rewritten by the COVID-19 pandemic , according to parenting expert Anya Kamenetz. Technology provides children with easy access to information and boosts their creativity. Tech hardware and software helps children develop social skills and introduces them to various arts and sciences.

These are among the less obvious positive effects of technology on children:

• Technology allows children to connect with their family, friends, and others in ways that enrich their relationships, especially when using video chat and other real-time interactions.
• Parents and caregivers are learning to slow down and tone down the applications, games, and other content children use to avoid overloading their senses. This teaches children how to moderate their own use of technology.
• Rather than trying to eliminate all risk to children when using technology, the goal should be reducing the risk and adapting when problems arise, such as preventing children from accessing devices at specific times of the day.

Many parents hesitate to allow their preschool-age children to use technology products and services due to concerns about how it’ll impact their well-being and development. However, the children are surrounded by technology, much of which offers them significant benefits , as BSD Education explains:

• Technology helps children become independent learners more quickly. Once they learn how to access digital information sources safely, they’re able to explore the topics that interest them on their own.
• Children learn the importance of building communities and how to interact with people in social situations. When circumstances prevent children from establishing physical bonds with family members, friends, and others, they’re able to use technology to create “virtual bonds.”
• Early access to technology teaches the digital literacy skills that children will need for their future success in school and as adults.
• Many technology products promote hand-eye coordination in young children, while others focus on developing their language and problem-solving skills.

Negative Effects of Technology on Children

Children are especially susceptible to technology overuse. The American Psychological Association (APA) recommends limiting the use of technology to one hour per day of high-quality programming for children ages 2 to 5. For children ages 6 and up, it’s most important to set consistent limits on various types of media, such as gaming devices and smartphones.

APA suggests that parents focus on the content on children’s screens and how the children are interacting with it. A survey of research on the possible negative effects of technology on children establishes a connection between the level of a child’s use of technology and various developmental and behavior problems.

• Lack of attention, aggressive behaviors, obesity, physical inactivity, sleep problems
• Musculoskeletal problems related to a sedentary lifestyle
• Greater risk of lifetime obesity and cardiovascular disease
• Sleep disturbances and poor-quality sleep for children who overuse social media or keep mobile devices in their bedroom

These are among the negative effects of technology on children:

• Exposure to harmful online content and sexual exploitation: A study by Irish researchers found that children of all ages are able to bypass the age verification systems of social media apps, such as Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. This can bring children into direct contact with potential predators and other dangers.
• Cyber bullying: The Cyberbullying Research Center reports that incidents of cyber bullying are most prevalent at ages 12 to 15. A recent survey by the center of 13- to 17-year-olds found that 23.7% of girls, 21.9% of boys, and 35.4% of transgender teens had experienced being bullied.
• Low self-esteem and increased anxiety: CNN reports that teens and adolescents are using image filters on Instagram to enhance their appearance even though the result looks nothing like them. “Self-esteem addiction” can make young people feel inadequate. As children spend more time on social media, they may become withdrawn or find themselves obsessively checking their social media feeds.

Resources on Ways Children Are Affected by Technology

• The Register, “Technology Does Widen the Education Divide. But Not Always in the Way You Expect” — One educator found that upon returning from online education during lockdown, children had turned away from technology, preferring real books and nontech activities because tech is no longer seen as “fun.”
• Edutopia, “Helping Parents Feel More Comfortable with Tech” — Advice for teachers about how to convince parents to support technology in the classroom.
• UNICEF, “Harnessing the Power of Technology and Digital Innovation for Children” — A report describing the initiatives and successes of the Digital UNICEF 2020 program, which is intended to extend the reach of UNICEF’s aid efforts.

When it comes to children’s access to technology, the digital divide between rich and poor persists. The increased reliance of children on technology for remote schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic adds a new and dangerous dimension to the problem, which some analysts refer to as the “ homework gap .”

• A survey by Common Sense Media found that 49% of 8- to 18-year-olds in the U.S. had attended classes fully or partially online since the start of the pandemic.
• Hispanic/Latinx students (48%) and Black students (39%) were much more likely than their white counterparts (20%) to attend school fully online.
• Similarly, students from low-income families (42%) were more likely to rely completely on online instruction than those from middle-income and high-income families (31% and 27%, respectively).
• While 92% of white students had a computer at home, only 87% of Hispanic/Latinx students and 78% of Black students did.
• Broadband access at home was available to 90% of students from families with high incomes, compared with 80% for middle-income families and 61% for lower-income families.
• In addition, 88% of white families had broadband access at home, while 76% of Black families and 68% of Hispanic/Latinx families had broadband access at home.

Common Sense Media estimates that closing the digital divide for K-12 public school students will cost between $6 billion and $11 billion in the first year, and between $4 billion and $8 billion annually in subsequent years. An additional $1 billion will be required to upgrade the remote access technologies that teachers use.

In 2020, TikTok surpassed YouTube to become the most frequently used app by teens and preteens in the U.S., according to MMGuardian. 1. TikTok: average daily usage, 105.1 minutes; % of children who use it, 32%. 2. YouTube: average daily usage, 102.6 minutes; % of children who use it, 69.7%. 3. Roblox: average daily usage, 90 minutes; % of children who use it, 24%. 4. Amino: average daily usage, 89.5 minutes; % of children who use it, 1.18%. 5. Avakin Life: average daily usage, 86.6 minutes; % of children who use it, 1.32%. 6. YouTube Kids: average daily usage, 85.8 minutes; % of children who use it, 6.9%. 7. Wattpad: average daily usage, 80.6 minutes; % of children who use it, 2.9%. 8. Netflix: average daily usage, 80.6 minutes; % of children who use it, 27.4%. 9. IMVU: average daily usage, 72.8 minutes; % of children who use it, 1.3%. 10. Hulu: average daily usage, 71 minutes; % of children who use it, 9.2%.

Statistics on Children’s Online Activities

The most common activity for children online is accessing software, audio, and video content (44% of children had done so between March 2020 and April 2021). The next most popular activities are using internet-based communications (22%); playing video games (14%); accessing online stores, banks, or payment systems (13%); and reading news media (4%).

A study by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s learning and development determined that children lost learning opportunities at home and in preschool programs. This resulted in “unusually high” rates of socio-emotional and mental health problems in children as reported by their parents.

• Twenty-two percent of 4- to 7-year-olds had high levels of conduct problems in the fall of 2020, compared with 11% who did so in a survey conducted before the pandemic.
• Higher levels of hyperactivity (15% vs. 10%), peer problems (17% vs. 9%), lack of prosocial behavior (20% vs. 8%), and total difficulties (15% vs. 8%) were also recorded among 4- to 7-year-olds during the pandemic.

How Children’s Screen Time Correlates to Their Mental and Physical Health

A primary concern among parents about their children’s use of technology is the amount of time children spend in front of a television, computer, smartphone, or another screen. Researchers have established a link between the amount of time adolescents spend in front of a screen , their level of moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and the amount of sleep they get.

• Screen time involves sedentary activities that detract from MVPA and delay bedtime and that interrupt sleep with digital notifications.
• The result is an increased risk of children becoming overweight or obese, as well as more sleepiness during the day and lower academic achievement.
• While most of the 13- and 14-year-olds in the study met the recommendations for total screen time (less than two hours per day) and MVPA (at least one hour per day), only half met the recommendation for sleep (8.5 hours per night). Meeting the recommendation for screen time and one of the other two factors led to better academic outcomes.

Some research into the connection between children’s screen time and their psychological well-being has been brought into question because of discrepancies between actual and reported use of digital media by children. A recent meta-analysis of research on the impact of screen time on children found either no significant impact or only a moderate impact. More indicative of potential psychological or developmental problems in children than overall screen time is the type of content that children view and interact with.

However, studies have established a link between excessive screen time and children’s levels of attention deficit symptoms; impaired emotional and social intelligence; social isolation; phantom vibration syndrome; and diagnosable mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, and technology addiction.

Finding the Right Amount of Time Online for Children

Many activities that benefit children can become dangerous if used too much. During the pandemic, the time that adolescents spent in front of a screen nearly doubled, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics . Adolescents were spending an average of 7.7 hours a day in front of a screen early in the pandemic, compared with 3.8 hours per day before the pandemic. Indications are that the elevated level of screen time will persist.

Determining the optimal amount of screen time for children has become challenging for parents because of the potential problems arising related to children’s vision, posture, and other physical development concerns. While the standard recommendation of experts remains that children under the age of 8 spend less than two hours per day in front of a screen, many factors must be considered when setting a limit for children:

• Allow more screen time for positive educational activities.
• Encourage children to take breaks from the screen that involve outdoor activities.
• Avoid using screens as “babysitters” that keep children occupied. Find other nonscreen activities, such as creative toys, coloring books, and storybooks.
• Don’t let children’s use of electronics cut into their sleep time.
• Make sure that children take short breaks from the screen every 20 minutes or so to protect their vision.
• Check the area of the screen activity to ensure that the lighting is neither too dark nor too bright.

Tech Companies’ Growing Impact on Children

After pressure from government regulators, Facebook shelved its plans to develop a version of Instagram called Instagram Kids that targeted children under the age of 13, as The New York Times reports. In 2019, YouTube paid $170 million to settle claims that it targeted children under the age of 13 in its advertising and collected personal information about them.

These are just two of the many examples of giant tech companies targeting children to meet their need for continuous growth. In the absence of federal privacy laws, companies such as Google (which owns YouTube), Facebook (now known as Meta), Amazon, and TikTok are left to self-regulate their privacy and other policies.

• The Verge reports that Facebook is exploring the use of playdates to spur children to use its Messenger Kids application.
• According to Reuters, attorneys general of several states are investigating Instagram for its attempts to attract young children in violation of consumer protection laws.
• YouTube is being sued in the U.K. over alleged violations of children’s privacy and data rights, according to Tech Monitor.
• A recent survey by Accountable Tech found that 74% of parents believe that Facebook cares more about profits than about keeping their children safe on the site.

Parents, educators, and regulators are also concerned about the safety of educational technology platforms that use machine learning and other artificial intelligence technologies to harvest massive amounts of data about children. Many fear that ubiquitous surveillance will lead to behavioral control and potentially a total loss of privacy for children. They’re calling for more accountability from such platforms, as well as legislation that guarantees children’s “right to future tense.”

Resources Providing Statistics on Children and Technology

• International Central Institute for Youth and Educational Television, International Data Youth and Media 2021 — Statistics on the types of technologies that children use in countries around the world, as well as daily use of media by children in various age groups.
• Family Online Safety Institute, “Healthy Screen Time: Mobile Technology’s Relationship with Children’s Exercise” — A study reporting a sharp decrease in the amount of time children spend playing outdoors and the growing reliance on applications that entail physical activity, such as Nintendo’s Wii console.

Half of children ages 10 to 12 and one-third ages 7 to 9 use social media, according to a recent Mott poll of parents with children ages 7 to 12. Parents identified the areas of children’s social media use that they struggle to control; for instance, one in six parents don’t use parental controls. Additionally, 39% of parents don’t have time to monitor their children’s social media use, 21% of parents can’t find information to set up monitoring, and 32% of children find ways to circumvent parental controls.

The lockdowns deprived young children of opportunities to develop social skills by interacting with other children. As a result, educators report that some children returning to school are struggling with classroom routine. However, the pandemic has disrupted the lives of many families of students and teachers.

• Some children are experiencing anxiety in the classroom that may relate to separation anxiety after spending a prolonged period with family.
• While most students readjust quickly to their school routine, those who’ve experienced trauma at home are most likely to struggle in school. This is especially true for children in kindergarten and first grade.
• Children are showing their resilience in adapting quickly to masking and social distancing requirements.

Research presented at a recent conference of the Society of Neuroscience indicates that isolation in adolescents can change the development of the brain systems related to fear, risk and reward, and social recognition. This may make it more difficult for them to distinguish friendly behavior from threatening behavior in their peers, for example.

A good way to break feelings of social isolation that developed as a result of the pandemic is to increase the amount of school time devoted to physical activities.

Child Development and Technology

Researchers are studying how the way young children play with technology compares with the way they play with real-world toys. They’ve found that all the types of play in the nondigital environment are present in the digital realm as well.

• Digital play develops a range of abilities in children, including subject knowledge and understanding; digital skills; and skills related to social, emotional, cognitive, and creative development.
• Because digital and physical play are intermixed in children’s lives, it’s more appropriate to look at play holistically.

Most research on children and technology relates to children ages 9 to 16, but interactions with technology may have a greater impact on the development of children ages 3 to 8. Digital education for young children increasingly takes the form of applications running on tablets and smartphones, language development applications, and physical coordination from manipulating game controls and videos that teach dancing and other activities.

Since the advent of Apple’s iPad in 2010, computer use by young children has skyrocketed , especially as teaching philosophies focus on play activities over traditional classes and formal teaching. Some schools now test each child’s digital skills and teach children digital competence, such as knowing when and why digital tools are used.

One approach to understanding the complexity of technology’s impact on children is the domestication theory that compares the introduction of digital tools into society to the process of taming a wild animal. The four phases of the domestication process render the tools nonthreatening and also make them useful, important, and meaningful.

• Appropriation is the reason for acquiring the digital tool.
• Objectification of the digital tool instills a personal meaning for the tool in the child using it.
• Incorporation describes how the digital tool becomes a part of the child’s life. It also explains appropriate and inappropriate uses of the tool.
• Conversion occurs when the digital tool has redefined the child’s worldview and relations with others.

Resources on the Impact of Technology on Children’s Development and Social Interactions

• Early Childhood Education Journal, “Investigating Young Children’s Interactions During Digital Play” — Research into children’s social behaviors within digital play environments found that adding a social dimension increased a child’s engagement in the activity.
• OECD iLibrary, “Children and Digital Technologies: Trends and Outcomes” — Topics include use of social robots to help treat children with chronic diseases and the impact of digital technologies on children’s physical health.

Technological advances happen so quickly that parents and educators don’t have much opportunity to consider how children’s growth and well-being may be improved or impaired by the types of technologies they interact with and the ways in which those interactions occur. However, technology continues to play a more important part of the lives of most children when they’re in school, at home, and at play. The judicious application of technology will enhance a child’s education and other aspects of life.

Infographic Sources

Associated Press, “TikTok Is Now the Most-Used App by Teens and Pre-teens in the U.S.”

Mott Poll Report, “Sharing too Soon? Children and Social Media Apps”

Pew Research Center, “The Internet and the Pandemic”

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Impact of Technology on Kids Today and Tomorrow.

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Hand a smartphone or tablet to a toddler, chances are they’ll figure out how to open it and make some in-app purchases in a matter of seconds. The technological boom means that children are becoming computer experts at a very young age. Elementary school kids have classes on computers, and many of them have been using their computers and tablets at home well before they started school. As kids are learning from a very young age about technology, they’re making huge strides as they grow in being prepared for schooling, future careers, innovation, and more. Your kids may even be able to help you with your online coursework at WGU!

However, with all this constant immersion in technology, there are some very real concerns about how this tech impacts childhood development. We are wandering into unknown territory as generations past have never had this same kind of constant technological immersion. But experts are starting to see what technology at this level can do to children and their future. Many of our WGU students are parents, and we want to help you

Children and technology: benefits and drawbacks.

Kids have access to screens all around them. Many homes have multiple television sets, computers, tablets, and phones for children to find and play with. And some children even have access to their own tablet and phone, starting at a young age. Research shows that the average 8- to 10-year-old spends almost 8 hours a day with a variety of media, and older children and teenagers spend around 11 hours per day with media. That time adds up, and young people are spending more time with technology than they do in school. 

Children and teenagers around the country aren’t cutting down their media consumption either. Some teenagers say they send thousands of text messages each month, stay up until 2 AM scrolling social media, and spend hours each day playing video games. And this has continued to get more intense over time, as more apps and options arise to distract kids.

While many people see the negative impact of such technology usage, there also pros. The real question is what can parents and teachers do to harness technology in useful ways, without letting kids become slaves to it and the negative effects it can have on their lives.

Negative effects.

Learn about the negative effects of technology on young children and teenagers.

Lower attention span. Teachers, parents, and students themselves find that technology can have a direct impact on attention spans. The immediacy of technological interactions make waiting harder for children. With technology, they aren’t forced to wait. They can have their TV show immediately, they don’t get bored because they always have something to entertain them. Technology moves fast, instant responses and instant gratification are impacting attention spans for young children and teenagers alike.

Increased risk and lack of privacy. Teenagers and children have grown up in a technological world, and the idea of privacy is somewhat foreign to them. Cybersecurity is a huge element of tech today, but it isn’t always perfect. Hackers and criminals can utilize technology to steal identities and harass children. Technology has created an increase of theft, privacy issues, harassment, and more. The IT industry is in need of cybersecurity professionals who can help make technology more safe for children, so consider getting started on your degree today.

Risk of depression. Teenagers and children who report more time using media are more likely to also report mental health issues . Depression is a key issue that is correlated with more media use. This has increased suicide rates and has lead to more youth needing mental health interventions like medicine and counseling. Experts believe time spent on social media or using technology can directly be tied to increased depression.

Obesity. Children who spend more time inside on their phones or tablets don’t spend as much time running and playing outside. They establish habits of technology use that doesn’t involve exercise. This can lead to increased obesity rates in children and young adults.

Falling grades. Many students today can see their grades take a hit when they spend more time with technology. Increasing technology usage means less time spent on homework, and the kind of developmental changes technology can bring can make students struggle with homework like reading and writing. 

Bullying. As technology flourishes, so does bullying. Children and teens are using technology and social media to bully other kids, without having to face them. Often called cyberbullying, this trend is increasing and getting more popular with even younger students. 

Social interaction issues. With more time spent on technology, younger children are having issues with face-to-face social interactions. Many seem to prefer to text or talk on social media as opposed to talking to each other in-person. Even when children spend time together, they may spend more time texting or on their phones than actually being together. 

Positive impacts.

While there are many negative impacts that can be connected to technology use, there are many positive impacts as well. 

Helping them learn . There are many educational elements of technology that can help children learn. From TV programming to apps on a smartphone or tablet, there are many things that children can be exposed to that can help develop their mind and teach them new things.

Classroom tool. Many teachers have started using technology in classrooms to help students learn. Technology helps teachers reach different kinds of learners, reinforce and expand on concepts, and motivate students in new ways. As more teachers embrace technology, new kinds of learning can take place in classrooms, and more students can be reached in ways that they relate with. 

Preparing for future tech careers. As technology continues to grow and flourish, there will be more demand for professionals ready to take on technology careers. When children start getting excited about technology and the potential it offers them from a young age, they’re more prepared for their future and the possibilities it offers. Children can start getting technological skills early that they’ll need in the future. If you’re a young student who has the technological background you need for an IT career, consider an IT degree to build your credentials and get you started on the path. 

Improved multitasking. Studies show that using technology helps young children learn how to multitask more effectively. While multitasking never allows you to fully focus on one area, students can learn how to listen and type to take notes, or other multitasking activities that can help them succeed in their future. 

Improved visual-spatial development. Spatial development can be greatly improved when technology like video games is used to help train young students and children. Practicing visual-spatial skills with video games can be a great way to improve abilities. Visual spatial skills are needed in a variety of things, like map reading, puzzles, and more.

Improved problem solving and decision making. Technology often presents children with problems , and helps them learn how to make decisions and solve those problems. Games and apps on tablets or smartphones can help give children the practice they need to find success down the road. When students wisely use technology they can reap huge rewards.

How adults can help.

Parents and adults can help children get the benefits of technology with less of the negative effects. Parents can start by ensuring children under two don’t use screens. They can also play along with children to include face-to-face interactions with technology, and make sure that tech doesn’t interfere for opportunities to play. Parents should also work to set appropriate boundaries including time limits, and model good smartphone use. Cybersecurity software and systems can help ensure that kids stay safe while using technology.

Parents and teachers can watch for quality apps that promote vocabulary, math, literacy, and science. Adults can help make sure kids learn about computer science and IT as part of technology use to give them opportunities for a bright tech future. 

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The impact of ICT on children and teenagers

There is no doubt that information and communication technologies (ICT) play an increasingly important role in the lives of the new generations, however there are still inequalities between genders, which go beyond access.

The effects of these technologies are holistic in the everyday life of the population of children and adolescents: they affect their schooling, physical and mental health, entertainment, socio-cultural development , political life, among other aspects. And while public initiatives are often structured to integrate these effects, the perceptions, assessments and experiences of children and adolescents are not often taken into account.

For this purpose, the UNESCO Regional Office for Sciences for Latin America and the Caribbean, from its Communication & Information programme, has released the publication Children and the use of the Internet in São Paulo and Buenos Aires : research from a gender equality perspective, prepared by an excellent team of researchers from FLACSO-Argentina's Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br), the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br) and the UNESCO Regional Chair for Women, Science and Technology in Latin America, where gender differences are related to girls, boys and adolescents' experiences with digital technology

“Information and communication technologies (ICT) represent the fastest and most profound technical change experienced in the region and, indeed, in the world. For example, a robust global pedagogical method has been developed to facilitate the education of large numbers of children; however, it is essential to discuss and offer recommendations for the participation of children and adolescents in ICT laws / policies and strategies”,

said Lidia Brito, director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Sciences for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The findings of the study show how girls and boys' online interactions are marked by gender problems, as well as gaps in the enjoyment of opportunities, the great concern for self-introduction in social networks, the privacy threats and abuse they face in digital environments.

“The study was based on a little-explored premise: the uses of ICT by children and teenagers are more related to their spaces for socialization than to the characteristics of digital environments. The findings demonstrate the importance of analyzing the digital gender gaps and their relationship with different groups and social contexts”,

said Gloria Bonder, coordinator of the UNESCO Regional Chair for Women, Science and Technology in Latin America, FLACSO-Argentina.

The aim of this publication is to raise awareness among various stakeholders of the importance of taking gender into account in the formulation of public policies relating to the use of ICT by girls , boys and teenagers. In order to leverage the positive aspects of the Internet and optimise the opportunities it provides both girls and boys, collaborative efforts to reduce the disparities found in this study are necessary.

“Analyzing the access and use of ICT by girls, boys and teenagers through a qualitative approach, based on a gender perspective, is extremely relevant for the development of inclusive public policies that address the opportunities and consequences, often unequal, of technologies.”

said Tatiana Jereissati, coordinator of Qualitative Methods and Sector Studies at Cetic.br/NIC.br.

Related items

• UNESCO Office in Montevideo and Regional Bureau for Science
• SDG: SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
• SDG: SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• SDG: SDG 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

This article is related to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals .

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Impacts of technology on children’s health: a systematic review

Impactos da tecnologia na saúde infantil: revisão sistemática, raquel cordeiro ricci.

a Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil.

Aline Souza Costa de Paulo

Alisson kelvin pereira borges de freitas, isabela crispim ribeiro, leonardo siqueira aprile pires, maria eduarda leite facina, milla bitencourt cabral, natália varreira parduci, rafaela caldato spegiorin, sannye sabrina gonzález bogado, sergio chociay, junior, talita navarro carachesti, mônica mussolini larroque.

The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Authors’ contribution

To identify the consequences of technology overuse in childhood.

Data source:

A systematic review was carried out in the electronic databases PubMed (National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health) and BVS (Virtual Health Library), considering articles published from 2015 to 2020, in English, Portuguese and Spanish using the terms “Internet”, “Child” and “Growth and Development”.

Data synthesis:

554 articles were found and 8 were included in the analysis. The studies’ methodological quality was assessed by the Strobe and Consort criteria, being scored from 17 to 22 points. The articles showed positive and negative factors associated with the use of technology in childhood, although most texts emphasize the harmful aspects. Excessive use of internet, games and exposure to television are associated with intellectual deficits and mental health issues, but can also enable psychosocial development.

Conclusions:

Preventing the use of the internet is a utopic measure ever since society makes use of technologies. The internet is associated with benefits as well as with harms. It is important to optimize the use of internet and reduce risks with the participation of parents and caregivers as moderators, and training of health professionals to better guide them.

Identificar as consequências do uso excessivo da tecnologia na infância.

Fontes de dados:

Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática nas bases de dados eletrônicas PubMed (National Library of Medicine — National Institutes of Health) e Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS) com artigos publicados de 2015 a 2020, em inglês, português e espanhol, utilizando os termos internet, child e growth and development .

Síntese dos dados:

Foram localizados 554 artigos, resultando em oito artigos incluídos nesta pesquisa. Os estudos foram avaliados quanto à sua qualidade metodológica pelos critérios Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (Strobe) e Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (Consort) e receberam pontuações que variaram de 17 a 22 pontos. Os artigos evidenciaram que há fatores positivos e negativos associados ao uso de tecnologias na infância, embora a maioria dos textos ressalte seu aspecto prejudicial. O uso excessivo de internet, jogos e exposição à televisão ocasionaram alterações intelectuais e da saúde mental, porém também possibilitaram o desenvolvimento psicossocial.

Conclusões:

Impedir o uso da internet é uma medida utópica, visto que a sociedade faz uso de tecnologias. Considerando que a internet pode trazer benefícios, mas também malefícios, são importantes a otimização do uso e a redução dos riscos, como a participação dos pais e responsáveis como moderadores dessa utilização, além da atualização dos profissionais da saúde para melhor orientá-los.

INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, information and communication technologies increasingly make up children’s daily routines. Data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) state that, among Brazilian children aged 10 years and over, internet use rose from 69.8% in 2017 to 74.7% in 2018. Exchange of messages, voice and/or video calls and, finally, watching videos, such as series and movies, are the most frequent activities performed requiring internet services. 1

Studies on digital technologies have been carried out in several fields, since the contents of activities on the internet may vary, reflecting the broad range of information available online. From this perspective, much has been questioned about the impacts of information and communication technologies on children’s physical and psychosocial development. In the cognitive sphere, the influence on sleep, memory, reading ability, concentration, the ability to communicate in person are commonly cited, in addition to anxiety symptoms when children are away from their cell phones. 2 , 3

This construction of self-image by means of technological tools results in potentializing a phenomenon of modernity and the emergence of large cities: placing intimacy as the focus of spectacularization. Furthermore, intense consumption of content can cause anxiety, panic and even depression. In the case of children with previous mental health conditions and who require monitoring, these effects can be even more intense. 4

With this in mind, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a series of recommendations to parents regarding the exposure of children of different age groups to digital technologies. Children under the age of 5 should not spend more than 60 minutes a day in passive activities in front of a smartphone, computer or TV screen. Children under 12 months of age should not spend even a minute in front of electronic devices. The goal is for boys and girls up to 5 years old to change electronics for physical activities or practices that involve interactions in the real world, such as reading and listening to stories with caregivers. 5 These guidelines are part of the strategy for awareness on sedentary lifestyle and obesity by the Organization of United Nations (UN).

Thus, it is clear that this spectrum of influence can culminate or intensify various pathologies. Therefore, the aim of the study was to identify the positive and negative consequences of technology overuse in childhood.

The selection process and the development of this systematic review were based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (Prisma) protocol. 6 This review was registered with the International Prospective Registry of Systematic Reviews (Prospero), under number CRD42021248396.

The National Library of Medicine — National Institutes of Health (PubMed) and Virtual Health Library (VHL) electronic databases were searched from March to July 2020. The purpose was to systematically analyze original studies addressing information technologies and communication (Internet, social media, etc.) in child development based on a guiding question: what is the impact of information and communication technologies on childrens physical and psychosocial development?

The Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) was used to define the search term. Then, an exploratory investigation was carried out with the purpose of identifying keywords within the theme. The terms “internet”, “child” and “growth and development” were used, in English language, along with “AND”, to combine them. Additionally, the bibliographic references of articles selected were checked.

For the articles to be included, the following aspects were considered:

• Original articles.
• Studies conducted with children.
• Research regarding information and communication technologies (Internet, television, etc.) related to child development.
• Published from 2015 to 2020.
• Articles written in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

Studies carried out with adolescents, adults and the elderly, as well as theses, dissertations, monographs, duplicate studies and case studies were excluded.

The search and selection of articles took place at two different times. The articles were selected first by title and abstracts and, then, the full texts were accessed and evaluated.

Studies that met the eligibility criteria were fully analyzed by two independent researchers, whose evaluations were then compared to verify common points. In cases of uncertainty about the eligibility of the study, a third evaluator took part. Then, the data was extracted and input in predefined data tables.

The methodological quality of observational articles included was assessed according to the initiative Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (Strobe), based on various evaluation criteria for this type of studies. The maximum score is 22 points, which are distributed over several items: title and/or abstract (one item), introduction (two items), methodology (nine items), results (five items), discussion (four items), and funding (one item). 7 , 8 All observational studies were evaluated, and each item, when present, added up to 1 point; then the sum was scored according to Table 1 .

The methodological quality of the one randomized trial was based on the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (Consort) strategy, which contains a checklist with 25 items, divided into: title and abstract (one item with two sub-items); introduction (one item with two sub-items); methods (five items) and a topic with information about randomization (five items); results (seven items); discussion (three items); and other information, such as registration, protocols and funding (three items). 9 , 10 Each item, if met, equals 1 point, and they were all added up according to the analysis of the papers. The score of methodological quality of this randomized trial is shown in Table 1 .

In order to synthesize the description of characteristics as main results and descriptive approach, the following information was extracted from each selected article: name of the main author, year of publication, country where the study was performed, design, sample size, type of technology evaluated, statistical variables, main results, and limitations.

Searches on PubMed and VHL using the descriptors “internet”, “child” and “growth and development” retrieved 550 articles. After applying inclusion criteria, 221 studies were selected and, after reading the titles and abstracts, 125 were excluded. 92 articles were read in full and, per the inclusion criteria and a detailed analysis, four studies were selected. Four other articles were included after an additional search in the reference list of primarily selected articles; the studies should have the same inclusion criteria defined in the methodology. Thus, eight articles made up the sample. The flowchart is shown in Figure 1 .

Most studies were epidemiological. Almost all of them were observational (n=7), and only one was an intervention study. The observational studies included were longitudinal and/or cross-sectional (n=5), case-control (n=1) and cohort studies (n=1). Only one experimental study was included, a randomized controlled trial (n=1), as shown in Table 1 .

Their methodological quality was based on their scores ( Table 1 ). Most studies were observational (n=7) and, therefore, were evaluated according to the Strobe criteria 7 . The score ranged from 17 to 22, and most articles reached 20 points (n=4), which is good methodological quality. The quality of the randomized trial with 18 points—according to the Consort 2010 criterion, which has a maximum score of 25—was also considered good. 9

The main results about the implications of technology in childhood are detailed in Tables 2 and ​ and3 3 .

After reading and analysis, the articles were classified and distributed into two categories according to their approach: negative aspects (n=6) and positive aspects (n=2). The review results are reported below.

Negative aspects

Six of the studies linked technologies to negative aspects. The papers highlitghed intellectual complications, 3 , 11 , 12 body image dissatisfaction 13 , 14 and encouragement of unhealthy food consumption. 15 Table 2 shows the main information.

Excessive internet use is transversally associated with lower cognitive functioning and reduced volume of several areas of the brain. In longitudinal analyses, a higher frequency of internet use was associated with a decrease in verbal intelligence and a smaller increase in the regional volume of gray/white matter in several brain areas after a few years. These areas relate to language processing, attention and executive functions, emotion and reward. 3

In a study conducted with 80 British girls aged 8 and 9 years, appearance-focused games led participants to have a greater dissatisfaction with their appearance compared to control girls, who were not exposed to such games. Therefore, internet games that address appearance can be harmful to girls’ body self-image. 13

It’s not just appearance-focused games that have a negative impact on body image. TV shows, depending on the approach, can also impact negatively psychological development. In a study with Australian girls, some TV shows aimed for the age group of 6-9 years focused on sexualization were absorbed or internalized as social messages by children. The authors stated that the exposure made these girls whish to wear sexualized clothes and create negative relationship with their body image. 14

Furthermore, a study with 562 Dutch and Spanish children reported that, among Dutch children, games with advertisements (advergames) for high-calorie foods stimulated the consumption of unhealthy foods, while those who played other games with advertisements other that food-related, were less inclined to this eating habit. 15 Thus, depending on what the child is exposed to, some influences may not be beneficial.

Video games were associated with increased mean diffusivity in cortical and subcortical areas. That is, prolonged video game use was associated with negative consequences, as it can directly or indirectly interrupt the development of neural systems and cause unfavorable neurocognitive development, especially when it comes to verbal intelligence. 11

Another study on children’s exposure to television, identified a negative effect on the gray matter of the frontal area of the brain with consequences for verbal language. No changes were identified in sensorimotor areas as related to TV watching time; the effect may not be direct, since watching this media is often associated with less physical activity, which, in turn, causes changes in the volume of gray matter in sensorimotor areas. 12

Positive aspects

Only two studies brought the positive aspects of technology use, related to cognitive and psychosocial development 16 and forms of interpersonal relationships. 17 Main information is shown in Table 3 .

Associations of electronic media use with psychosocial development and the executive function among 3- and 5-year-olds, particularly related to total screen time, TV shows viewing, and application use were assessed by the authors, who concluded that cognitive and psychosocial development in children 12 months later was positive when exposure to these media lasted less than 30 minutes a day. 16

In a study conducted with 2,840 students in South Korea, children with depressed mood were more likely to use the internet to socialize, exchange ideas and talk about their concerns as a way to meet their friendship needs. The Internet can be beneficial for children, who can take advantage of online opportunities for socialization and friendships based on common interests. 17

The studies analyzed, in general, show that children currently spend a significant amount of time on the Internet or other means of information, and consider that this exposure can have positive and negative impacts on children’s cognitive development and learning skills.

As for the negative impacts of this habit in childhood, the higher frequency of internet use is associated with a significant decrease in verbal intelligence, mainly related to language skills and concentration/attention abilities. One study reported frequent internet use by children as related to decreased memory performance. 18

Another issue that must be taken into account is the number of games emerging all the time with new elements of fun and entertainment to attract children. An alert should be raised, however, about destructive websites such as the Blue Whale Challenge, which target vulnerable children and young people, threaten their physical integrity and are completely unethical, leading to the gradual destruction of society. 19

On the other hand, researchers have identified, among the most frequent purposes in allowing children access technology declared by parents, the promotion of problem-solving skills (56.7%), learning of basic mathematics (53.8%), developing hand-eye coordination (46.2%), introduction to reading (51%), language (47.1%) and science (26%), as well as entertainment (56.7%). 20

Based on the studies selected, we point out an unexpected result for parents: the problematic use of electronic devices at an early age can have children show low levels of openness to experiences, increasing the level of emotional instability, impulsive or other behaviors related to attention. Then, we must reinforce that exposure to media must be carefully pondered by parents and guardians as to avoid media dependence and misuse.

Problematic internet use (PIU) is associated with less openness and agreeableness, as children with higher levels of PIU end up with a deficit in social skills and difficulties in establishing interpersonal relationships, which can lead to being less open and visible, or less friendly externally. It was also found that these children tend to experience negative emotions and use the internet as a means of feeling better about their everyday problems or unpleasant feelings. Relationships were also between problematic video game use and behavior problems, specifically related to thoughts, attention, and aggressive behavior. 21

In order to bypass the negative effects of inappropriate use of the internet, one cannot ignore, on the one hand, the positive side of these technologies. Technology is extensively available and it is almost impossible to remove it from children’s daily lives. 22 But the negative effects mentioned during the discussion deserve the same attention, as the authors place parental control and moderation as key factors. 23 In this sense, there is a directly proportional link between parental participation and attention and a less harmful relationship between children and technologies, especially regarding social factors. 24

Currently, children spend their lives immersed in the world of digital media, and research has consistently shown the growing, early and diversified use of this media. Children exposed to electronics tend to develop a desire for continued use, creating a potentially harmful cycle. Even more worrisome are the effects of digital media on young children by disrupting parent-child interaction, which is critical to a healthy emotional and cognitive development. 25

There are potential benefits of digital technology as a tool to enhance early childhood development, creativity and social connection, but it is imperative that parents monitor what their children are consuming and help them learn from it. 26

A review of the literature about media reported an adverse association between screen-based media consumption and sleep health, mainly due to delays in bedtime and reduced total sleep duration. The underlying mechanisms of these associations include:

• Time replacement, that is, time on screens replacing sleep time and time spent other activities.
• Psychological stimulation based on media content.
• Effects of light emitted by devices on circadian timing, sleep physiology, and alertness. 27

There is, therefore, and evident need to identify the warning signs of excessive technology use in this age group and define the appropriate limit of daily screen time. Children can make a balanced use of technologies, taking advantage of them without exaggeration, favoring communication and the search for information that is relevant to learning.

It is important to emphasize that pre-judgments about technology-dependent children should be avoided, and knowing their feelings about themselves, as well as the factors that bother them, is important, as well as having a sensitive listening to form a vision of ideal approach in this condition of technology dependence by means of suggested strategies to effectively face these difficulties. 28

Although this review has important and interesting results, some limitations must be listed. First, there the number of studies identified with the criteria of our work was limited. Also, most of the studies were observational. Therefore, experimental research must be carried out as a means to understand the cause-consequence dynamics between media and their implications for child development. Further studies with larger samples and specific age groups, which would be relevant to increase statistical power, are needed.

The analysis of the articles showed positive and negative factors associated with the use of technologies by children. The main losses caused by technology use in childhood are excessive time connected to the internet, worsening of mental health, and changes in the circadian rhythm. The articles mentioned as negative factors the development of intellectual impairments, including verbal intelligence and attention, emotional instability, internet addiction, binge eating and physiological changes.

The main benefits of the use of technologies by children found were the strengthening of friendships and the possibility of greater social connection. For the preschool age group, there is evidence of improvement in cognitive and psychosocial development. Thus, in order to have technology as an ally for healthy child development, parents and guardians should limit the time of use and control the type of content seen and shared by children.

Currently, preventing internet use is an unrealistic measure, since parents and guardians also make great use of technologies. However, because of the new settings imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, many services have moved towards digitization, including education and social interaction. Internet use nowadays is a reality for all age groups and makes this study relevant; measures aimed at optimizing its use and reducing risks must, therefore, be adopted. Once again, we emphasize the importance of parents and guardians as moderators and update training of health professionals to better guide them.

Further studies are suggested so the notion of risk-benefit of internet use and its long-term consequences for child development is kept up to date.

The study did not receive any funding.

Essay On Effects Of Technology On Youth

Show More Technology Effect on the Youth In modern society technology is constantly advancing and improving. The children in our society are living in a digital/technology era where new cell phones, tablets, computers, televisions, video games etc. are constantly growing and evolving. Our youth today are growing up in a whole different type of environment compared the generations like our parents and grandparents. This may be why many people have negative opinions and feedback towards the growing technological era we are in today. Although many feel that the new technology have many negative effects on children, they also have many positive effects like providing new ways for students to learn and become educated, the use of the internet, media and …show more content… Compared to earlier years in America the use of the internet is very prevalent in modern society. According to Beavis, “90% of young people accessed the internet, up from 65% in 2006 and 79% in 2009.” Children today have the access today to find out basically anything in the world by the use of the internet. Technological advancements like the cell phone, laptops, tablets, personal hotspots and Wi-Fi now allow children to access the internet almost anywhere you go. The internet allows children to find out local and global news, to do research in the classroom, and the use of social media and social …show more content… It is up to the parents of these children to monitor how much technology they allow their children to use. This can low the use of it and therefore leading to less distractions by the means of technology. Parents also need to monitor the content of the things their children are able to access. Parents can monitor what their children search on the internet and let them know what they should and should not access through technology. Parents can be the leading factor to helping limit all of the negative comments about technology. In conclusion the evolving technology in society has many advantages in the classroom, socially, and also in forms of entertainment. These technological advancements allow the youth the access things we could ever imagine. Our youth our growing up in a digital era and these technological advancements allow our students to adapt to new technology while having many benefits as

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Essay on Negative Effects Of Technology On Youth

Students are often asked to write an essay on Negative Effects Of Technology On Youth in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Negative Effects Of Technology On Youth

Too much screen time.

When young people spend a lot of time staring at screens, it can hurt their eyes and sleep. They might feel tired during the day because they stay up late using phones or computers. This can make it hard for them to pay attention in school.

Social Skills

Kids who use technology a lot might not get enough practice talking to others face-to-face. This can make it difficult for them to make friends or work well with people in real life because they are used to chatting online instead.

Privacy Problems

Youngsters often share personal information on the internet without knowing the risks. Strangers might see their details or photos, which can be dangerous. It’s important for kids to learn how to stay safe online.

Learning Distractions

Technology can be a big distraction for students. With so many games and social media, it’s easy for them to lose focus on homework or studying, which can lead to lower grades and less knowledge.

Physical Health

250 words essay on negative effects of technology on youth, negative impact on health.

When young people spend a lot of time using gadgets like phones and computers, it can lead to health problems. Sitting for hours can make them less active and can hurt their eyes. Too much screen time can also make it hard to sleep, which is very important for growing kids.

Less Time Outdoors

Technology can make kids stay inside instead of playing outside. Playing outside is good for their bodies and helps them make friends. When they choose video games over soccer or tag, they miss out on fun and exercise.

Poor Social Skills

Talking to people face-to-face is different from chatting online. Kids who use technology a lot might find it hard to talk to others in real life. They might feel shy or not know what to say when they are not behind a screen.

Too Much Information

The internet has a lot of information, not all of it good for kids. They might see things that are not right for their age or get the wrong ideas about how people should act. This can confuse them or lead them to behave in ways that are not good.

Focus and Learning

When kids use technology all the time, they can have trouble paying attention to one thing for a long time. This can make it hard for them to learn in school. Also, they might want quick answers like they get online, which is not how real life always works.

500 Words Essay on Negative Effects Of Technology On Youth

When young people spend a lot of time looking at screens, it can cause problems. These screens are everywhere: on phones, tablets, computers, and TVs. Staring at them for hours can hurt your eyes and make you tired. It can also take away time that could be spent playing outside, reading books, or hanging out with friends in person. Kids might not get enough sleep if they use their devices late into the night, and this can make it hard for them to focus in school the next day.

Less Active Bodies

Technology can make us sit still for a long time. Kids who could be running around and playing sports might end up sitting on a couch playing video games instead. This can lead to a body that is not very fit or strong. Being less active can make it easier to gain weight, and it might also lead to health issues later in life, such as heart problems.

Not So Good Social Skills

Information overload.

The internet has a lot of information, and not all of it is good or true. Kids might find it hard to tell what is real and what is not. They can also get overwhelmed with so much to look at and listen to. This can make it hard for them to focus on one thing for a long time, like reading a book or finishing homework.

Kids might not understand how important it is to keep some things private. They might share too much information about themselves or their families on the internet. This can be dangerous because there are people who might use that information in bad ways. It is important to teach kids to be careful about what they share online.

Bad Habits and Content

In conclusion, technology can have negative effects on young people. It can cause health problems, make it hard to make real friends, confuse them with too much information, create privacy risks, and expose them to bad content. It is important for parents and teachers to help kids use technology in a way that is healthy and safe. This means setting limits on screen time, teaching them about privacy, and showing them how to find good information. By doing this, we can make sure that technology is a helpful tool for kids, not something that causes them problems.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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