From a certain “tech-positive” perspective, it might seem that restricting children’s usage of technology violates their rights — to equality of opportunity, information, privacy, among others.
Now that the digital genie is out of the bottle, can restrictions on smartphone and/or social media usage for children put it back in, at least until they attain the emotional maturity to navigate the online world? This is the question at the heart of the worldwide debate on how much access children should have to digital devices, even as the clamour grows to protect them from the worst of the internet. In the UK, a parent-led movement called Smartphone Free Childhood is striving to keep devices out of the hands of children till the age of 14, while in Australia, the Anthony Albanese-government is working on legislation that will ban social media usage for children under a certain age. Even Big Tech, under pressure from governments and parents, has been forced to act: Last month, Meta introduced new “teen accounts” for Instagram, which would enable parents to have greater control over their children’s activities on the platform.
From a certain “tech-positive” perspective, it might seem that restricting children’s usage of technology violates their rights — to equality of opportunity, information, privacy, among others. In a world run by handheld devices, to try and firewall the young in this way could very well be a losing game. It is also true that there isn’t conclusive evidence yet of a connection between smartphones, social media, and shortening attention spans, poor mental health indicators and a growing problem of loneliness among the young, all of which can be equally linked to factors such as poor nutrition, poverty and lack of social safety nets. Yet, the difficulty of safeguarding children from the harms of the digital world should not be used as an excuse to evade the responsibility to do so. Children are uniquely vulnerable to the threats posed by smartphones and social media because of their greater neuroplasticity, which makes it easier for them to adapt to these new technologies without necessarily having the emotional and mental tools to navigate them.
How, then, to ensure that children can continue to reap the benefits of the information and resources that the internet offers, while staying safe and healthy? Digital bans are easier on paper than in practice, as any parent of a teenager under the influence of FOMO (fear of missing out) would know. And in countries like India, where there is a deep digital divide, such actions only end up cutting off the already vulnerable, such as girls and children from marginalised communities, from the benefits of the tech revolution. The key is a wider conversation that is not bogged down by the seeming difficulty of the project, and shared responsibility — parents, schools and governments must work together to ensure safer and more fulfilled childhoods.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
First uploaded on: 08-10-2024 at 02:20 IST
