Mobile Devices and Children

Then:

 Although cell phones have technically been around since the late 1980s, the history of their use from children dates back to around the time when smartphones were being released. Their bright screen and visual displays are just a few reasons why children are so naturally gravitated towards them. Most older generations did not get cell phones until they were adults, younger generations such as Millennials were late into their teenage years. However, ever since the invention of smartphones, children are receiving cell phones at younger ages. In a study conducted by Mediamark Research and Intelligence in 2009, researchers found that 6.5% of all 6 to 7 year-olds were given cell phones, along with 17.7% of 8 to 9 year-olds, and 36% of 10 to 11 year-olds. A separate study was done by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2010, which concluded that 69% of 11 to 14 year-olds and 85% of 15 to 18 year-olds have them. A nationwide study was done by Common Sense Media three years later in 2013 finding that nearly 72% of children ages 0-8 were regularly using or recieved their own mobile device. A dramatic increase from the 2009 study, which goes to show how the steady increase of smart device technology has increased in the past 20 years. The Kaiser Family Foundation’s study in 2010 found many downsides to exposing children to cell phones and mobile devices. They found that the average 7th through 12th grader spent about an hour a day texting, even during school causing distraction from their studies and homework. A potentially dangerous consequence comes with sexting, which most people think of as a new trend, need I remind you this study was published nearly a decade ago. Sexting can result in a maximum of three felonies, one for creation of child pornography, another for possesion and potentially a third for distribution. Nearly 10 years later and this is still an issue among our children, so although the history of mobile device usage amongst children doesn’t date back that far, we are still dealing with the effects of it. 

Now: 

Today, more tech companies are marketing directly to children than ever before, and with good reason. Children play a much larger role in family purchases now than past generations, therefore children are more vocal about the products families purchase. Tech savviness is a common characteristic in today’s children along with Gen Z, their exposure to technology including mobile devices is increasing their awareness of products and services advertised. This explains why children and teens are the first to want the newest iPhone or are prepared to subscribe to the newest streaming service. Presently, approximately 97% of households in the United States own televisions, 83% have tablets and 77% own smartphones. In a study done by American Academy of Pediatrics by age 4, one half of children have their own television and three-fourths have their own mobile device. Researchers surveyed parents and discovered that most parents utilize technology including mobile devices as a reward for doing chores. Other reasons why parents allow their children to be exposed to media devices include to keep them quiet while in public or running errands, and to put their children to sleep. Results also show that mobile screen time increases with age. “Psychology Today” claims that parents are to blame for setting a bad example for their children. Technology and cell phones have encapsulated us all and children are, at this point, no exception. Parents are ignoring their children whilst engaging in mobile screen time, forcing their children to feel as though they are competing against the device for their parents attention. Parents combat this issue by allowing their kids mobile screen time which is further delaying the issue at hand. 

Later: 

While innovations in mobile technology have shown almost no sign of slowing down in the future. Technology is evolving to become a larger and larger part of our everyday lives, so it will be nearly impossible for children to avoid it entirely. The adoption of mobile technology in to families moving faster than ever, but this is just the beginning. We are starting to notice a corporate trend of advertising mobile tech directly to children, more specifically wearable technology. In June of 2018 FitBit announced it’s FitBit Ace, made specifically for children. Leapfrog and Garmin are also manufacturing wearable technology intended for children. As children show interest in these new products as time goes by, brand loyalty will begin to form, which will be a treat to similar products such as the Apple Watch. Which may result in even more companies marketing mobile tech to children in order to keep up with competitors. As of right now we don’t know a whole lot about the long term effects of overuse of mobile devices like cell phones or tablets. Which means the adolescent members of Gen Z and younger will most likely be monitored in the future in order to determine if extreme cell phone usage has potentially life-long, damaging effects. Even the World Health Organization believes that cell phones may be a contributing factor to cancer through radiation. This is not to say that cell phones are a direct cause of cancer because if they are it will happen over time. If children are being exposed at younger and younger ages, that gives more time for issues to arise, increasing their risk. What does this mean for the future of our children? Well that lies within the parents who raise them, if we limit our use as adults, and encourage healthy, limited screen time, we can find a happy medium.