With the development of various technological devices and their integration into the citizens’ everyday lives, some concerns regarding their effects on children have been voiced. Although the advances in electronic technologies can be exceptionally beneficial, the excessive use of such devices by the younger population might become a crucial issue, negatively impacting teenagers’ well-being (Twenge, 2018). Nevertheless, the moral panic about children’s use of smartphones is not fully substantiated, as the fear of technological devices has been greatly exaggerated in the past decades.
The overall anxiety connected to technology has been a significant problem since the development of digital media and computer technologies. Since the 1970s, movies and video games have been suggested as the cause of various childhood disorders, proposed to instigate violent behavior among the younger generations (Bowman, 2017). In addition, several scientific propositions have supported the negative influence of television and media on teenagers (O’Reilly, 2020). Nevertheless, such adverse consequences have been shown to arise only after prolonged exposure to smartphones and television, while a moderate amount of screen time does not induce such results (Odgers, 2018). From this perspective, it is more pertinent to ensure that children remain knowledgeable about the use of technology rather than create additional limitations.
Scholarly research has demonstrated that completely vetoing a particular activity can have negative ramifications. For instance, a forbidden action can have a reverse effect on the children, prompting them to be more attracted to it (Kopecký et al., 2021). Therefore, advice from pediatricians does not recommend complete restraint on smartphones and digital technologies (Solecki, 2020). Discussing the disadvantages of electronic devices and having an open conversation is considered a more beneficial option.
To conclude, although the moral panic connected to the use of smartphones by the young generation has incredible popularity, it is not entirely justified. While the harmful effects of overexposure to electronics must be addressed, the widespread fear of technologies appears to be connected to decades of technology panic. Research highlights that electronic devices are linked to negative effects only in cases of overexposure, and it is proposed that the prohibition of smartphones may even promote the usage of electronics.
References
Bowman, N. (2017). Banning smartphones for kids is just another technology-fearing moral panic. The Conversation.
Kopecký, K., Fernández-Martín, F.-D., Szotkowski, R., Gómez-García, G., & Mikulcová, K. (2021). Behaviour of children and adolescents and the use of mobile phones in primary schools in the Czech Republic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16).
Odgers, C. (2018). Smartphones are bad for some teens, not all. Nature, 554(7693), 432–434.
O’Reilly, M. (2020). Social media and adolescent mental health: The good, the bad and the ugly. Journal of Mental Health, 29(2), 200–206.
Solecki, S. (2020). The smart use of smartphones in pediatrics. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 55, 6–9.
Twenge, J. (2018). Worry over kids’ excessive smartphone use is more justified than ever before. The Conversation.