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| | | The Problem | |
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< | The ramifications of the internet society on the world’s youth and future generations are a huge worry for me. Never having received a smartphone until high school, I had the benefit of growing up relatively technology-free; in contrast, children nowadays are entrenched in the world of dopamine-providing, attention-span-depleting, and insecurity-breeding media almost straight from the womb. I fear that the world in which society’s youth is growing up will stunt their cognitive development and harm their mental health in a significant way. Many people share my fears, as evidenced by a wealth of scientific exploration on the effects of technology and social media on younger demographics. It is time for humanity to act proactively
Surely to act proactively is to act? Or is it a synonym for "now"?
and regulate the endemic of technology/social media addiction so that children and adolescents can grow up happier and healthier. | >
> | The impact of technology on today’s youth is a growing concern, particularly when it comes to the addictive nature of social media and smart devices. Unlike previous generations who had less exposure to constant digital stimuli, today’s children are immersed in environments designed to maximize their screen time. These platforms exploit human psychological tendencies, from the rush of social media validation to the never-ending flow of content. While the consequences of this constant digital immersion—such as diminished cognitive development, poorer attention spans, and heightened mental health issues—are clear, simply regulating or banning access to these platforms may not be the most productive solution. Rather than focusing solely on restricting access to harmful technologies, we should consider creating and promoting better technologies for children—ones that respect their cognitive and emotional development. There is no reason why children cannot grow up engaging with technology in ways that are not only healthy but also stimulating and educational. By shifting the conversation from prohibition to innovation, we can create alternatives that encourage growth and self-expression without the damaging effects of dopamine-driven platforms. | | | The Effects | | | The Way Ahead | |
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< | Contemporary usage of smartdevices and social media is an enormous issue in society, and the youth is at a greater risk as dependence on these technologies rises—compounded by the fact that they are exposed to these technologies during crucial developmental years. It is a possibility that future generations will be afflicted by severe smartdevice addictions, lower attention spans, weaker communication abilities, and increased mental health issues. The issue is a cultural one, presenting a tragedy of the commons type situation: while society as a whole would benefit from less smartdevice and social media use, any child or adolescent that gives up their smartdevice or social media account may find themselves feeling socially alienated and having less access to information. Accordingly, society must address this issue through governmental regulation in tandem with a cultural shift. While it is difficult to regulate individual smartdevice or social media usage, the government can potentially address tech companies’ exploitation of behavioral psychology, which adds to smartdevices’ and social medias’ addictive nature. Just as advertisements directed towards children are regulated, perhaps the government can regulate other forms of media that children consume, in order to decrease their sensory overwhelm on them. Regulations can make it unlawful for children and teens to use smartphones in K–12 schools, and schools can require alternatives (e.g., flip-phones) for emergencies. Children must grow up in an atmosphere of focused learning and abundant real-world connections. In a world slowly moving away from reality to “virtual reality,” it is imperative that we take action to save our youth now.
Instead of trying to forbid bad technology, which seems likely to have consequences you don't give the same attention you give to "the problem," why not ask why we don't give children better technology to use instead? While it might be difficult for an adult, entirely accustomed to using technologies infected by the parasite, to switch to hardware and software that work better and respect their freedom, children can learn from the beginning to use computers in ways that are good for them, and which they will enjoy at least as much as the software systems that presently hurt them. I am not aware of elevated suicidal ideation among young Wikipedia editors, or online naturalists. Kids setting up FreedomBoxe, running homework wikis, or l;earning to hack in Python don't need to get their dopamine fixes from Instagram likes, after all. So why prohibit when we can encourage?
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> | Rather than taking an approach that solely focuses on regulating and restricting access to addictive technologies, society should look toward empowering children to engage with healthier, more constructive technologies. This could mean providing children with tools that foster creativity, critical thinking, and learning. Why should we simply prohibit harmful platforms when we can encourage them to use technology in ways that benefit their development? For example, kids could learn to build websites, develop coding skills, or even set up their own educational projects, much like how some young people engage in creating and contributing to platforms like Wikipedia or running their own FreedomBoxes. These alternatives offer children not just an escape from the negative side of tech but a genuine opportunity to harness their digital environments for positive, meaningful purposes. By fostering a culture of technological literacy that prioritizes skill-building and self-expression over mindless consumption, we can ensure that children not only enjoy their time with technology but also grow with it in healthy, fulfilling ways. It is time to move beyond simply regulating what children shouldn't use and begin to encourage the creation and use of technologies that can help them thrive. | | |
You are entitled to restrict access to your paper if you want to. But we all derive immense benefit from reading one another's work, and I hope you won't feel the need unless the subject matter is personal and its disclosure would be harmful or undesirable. |
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