Kids and social media
Regarding “‘Generation Anxiety’ needs free play. Not smartphones. (Editorial),” (April 2): We are enthralled with new technology! Our excitement over bright, shiny discoveries seems to supersede most thought of ethics or social impact. This may be some innate character trait of humans. But it is not one to value too highly. Do we feel we’ll lose that creative spark if we couple talent and innovation with a serious and thoughtful consideration of the potential negatives of our deep dive into technology? No matter the rationale, the impact of our toys on society, especially our children, must be considered prior to releasing the latest, greatest designs to emanate from human genius.
As the Chronicle editorial posited, early attachment to social media platforms has often been detrimental to children’s development physically, socially and psychologically.
My young grandchildren have certainly been introduced to remote participation in life. Luckily at ages 8 and 11, their screen time is currently balanced with actual human-to-human relationships. They live in a part of the country where outdoor play is common, in a neighborhood full of kids. They have minimally supervised free time, as I did. As did my children. And yet, they are certainly exposed to the lure of the screen.
The desire to be popular, accepted, part of the group is not much different for kids or adults. Except, of course, adults should have the maturity to realize a padded screen persona is a lie not worth the telling. And judgment by others reflects more of their needs than our limits. Peer pressure is a two-sided coin. Can we take a chance that its result in this instance will avoid the dangerous, sometimes fatal, circumstances we’ve already experienced too many times?
Few children or younger teens have an emotional grasp on the vagaries of life, nor do they command the ability to make the mature decisions social media demands. The least we can do is guide and protect our children, while allowing them to learn from small errors in decision-making or lapses in judgment before the shiny new technology sweeps them into waters too deep to navigate. Carol Godell, Spring