Yes, the huge firms pushing unsuitable content must be regulated. But until they are, adults can model the positive use of tech
This summer the technology secretary, Peter Kyle, announced
he was considering
a two-hour “screen time” cap on children’s use of social media apps – a proposal that is not just insufficient, it’s outdated.
Though appropriately placed at the start of the summer holiday – a time when kids’ screen time can increase, along with the onus on parents to ensure the safety of such engagement – Kyle’s announcement is linked to somewhat stale screen time guidance. We should indeed be thinking about moderating time on screens, but the proposed cap addresses only the quantity of consumption, not the quality. Fortunately, as someone who lectures on digital literacy (and is a mother), I can tell you there are some ways to push back and create healthier habits for children this summer – even if the government doesn’t seem to have caught up with them yet.
For younger children, time off screens is generally better than on. However, when we do use screens, I encourage my own children to watch live TV on platforms such as CBeebies and CBBC, as this provides a diversity of content curated by a children’s programmer. Lots of time and advocacy has gone into producing it.
Prioritise active and engaged viewing over passive viewing. This means content that encourages creativity and discussion. This supports active brain engagement, learning and communication skills. It’s often better to opt for collective over solitary viewing, which can act as a springboard for discussion and build critical thinking and social engagement skills.
Begin seeding critical thinking about digital content from an early age. You can input questionable images into platforms such as
Sightengine
, and they will tell you how likely each image is to be fake. This is a great way to start conversations about disinformation online.
Speak to older children about what they want their digital diet to look like. Together, dedicate half an hour a week to training the machine learning by actively searching for positive content – content that they are passionate about or that makes them feel good. Don’t watch uninteresting, uninspiring content or content that makes them (or you) feel bad. Quickly move past it. And teach them not to like, share things or comment on things that they don’t like. Even
commenting on something
you don’t like counts as engagement, meaning you may get more of it.
As a family, do an “uninspiring” clean. If it no longer inspires or educates you, unfollow it. This includes exes, TV personalities and brands. Do this regularly to clean up your feed and narrow in on what you do want to see.
To combat targeted advertising, there are some Google alternatives you might want to look at as a family. DuckDuckGo or Firefox Focus are search engines that do not track you to serve targeted ads. You could also look at
Startpage
, which allows you to use Google without tracking your digital footprint.
Dr Kaitlyn Regehr is the programme director of digital humanities at University College London, lecturing on digital literacy and the ethical implications of social media and AI. She is also the author of
Smartphone Nation
: Why We’re All Addicted to Screens and What You Can Do About It
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