Inspire Positivity

The Magnetism of Screen:

In my childhood we had no Television at home. Yet the temptation to see films had caught up like a viral fever. Occasionally, I even witnessed angry parents punishing their children outside the Cinema Hall who had the audacity of stealing money from home and watch a movie. So alluring were the characters displayed on the screen that people started believing that they were the right choice to lead their destiny by becoming their members of parliament, ministers, Governors of States, Chief Ministers and even Presidents of Nations. This has been a global phenomenon regardless of the education level of the public or their awareness. The list of famous political personalities with a connection with screen is long: President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Former president of USA Ronald Regan, Former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, former President of Philippines Joseph Estrada, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark, Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Jayalalitha to name a few.

The Transformations in Screen:

With time the glamour of Cinema and Big screen have undergone transformation: It started with advent of television technology. The post World War II economic boom in many countries led to increased disposable income, allowing more and more families to afford more television sets thereby boosting the advertisement and entertainment industry. The decades that followed 1950s saw establishment of regular TV programming. By and by, families were drawn to television for its entertainment value, which included shows, news, and other content. In due course the television became a central source of entertainment and information for households. Iconic shows and events, such as “I Love Lucy” and the televised debates between presidential candidates, in the United States contributed to its popularity. This followed the era of sponsored programming by the commercial entities and the popularity of television saw a geometric growth. Television played a role in shaping cultural phenomena and shared experiences, from watching major sporting events to witnessing historical moments. However, with time, some people realised that despite the entertainment, convenience, social connection and escapism from reality that the television offered, it also led to mindless or excessive consumption without productive engagement, and there was a section of population who coined a term ‘idiot box’ for it.  Yet the allurement of spending time with the screen remained popular.

Advent of Internet and social media:

The APRNET as a defence project in the late 1960s laid the foundation of development of internet with the invention of World Wide Web (WWW) in the 1989 by Tim Berners Lee leading to its commercialisation over 1990s. The twenty first century saw the birth of broadband, increased connectivity, speeds, and accessibility. Parallelly, the websites like Six Degrees (1997) and Friendster (2002) laid the groundwork for social networking. But the launch of Facebook in 2004 marked a turning point, followed by the launch of platforms like Twitter (Now called ‘X’), LinkedIn, Instagram and others. Social media transformed how people connect, share information, and communicate globally. It became a powerful tool for self-expression, activism, and real-time information dissemination.

The Multifaceted Smartphones and their Allure:

The Mobile phones, especially after the introduction of iPhone in 2007 by Apple, have evolved from basic communication device to smartphones. The introduction of iPad by apple in 2010 brought about a significant milestone in the evolution of portable computing devices, offering a larger touch screen compared to smartphones and a more versatile form factor than traditional laptops. The development of android-based tablets gained popularity rapidly in the years following the iPad’s introduction. Tablets became viral as they provided a more portable and user-friendly alternative to laptops for various tasks such as web browsing, media consumption, gaming, and productivity. The touch-based interface and the availability of a wide range of apps contributed to the widespread adoption of tablets across different user base. Likewise, the Mobile phones became an essential gadget worldwide, transcending geographic and economic barriers. Their increased functionality as devices Increased functionalities beyond communication to internet and connectivity, multimedia and entertainment, assistance in productivity, social networking, health and fitness, location device, e-commerce, banking, reading and learning and gaming. Enhanced Affordability of smartphones and widespread cellular networks contributed to increased mobile phone adoption and they become an inseparable possession all over the world by all sections of the society.  

The ill effects of Excessive Screen Time:

Even in the yesteryears of Cinema and Television, spending time before screen had been so addictive that children bunked school to see movies and the families were glued to TV sets watching their favourite programs. Many children were tempted to give priority to entertainment over study and outdoor games turning some of them to couch potatoes. The rampant use of smart phones has enhanced several risks which include (but not limited to) the following:

1.  Addiction and Dependency: Excessive use of smartphones can lead to addiction, with individuals spending an inordinate amount of time on their devices, affecting personal relationships and productivity.
2. Sleep Disruption: The blue light emitted by smartphone screens can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone responsible for sleep. This can lead to sleep disturbances and insomnia.
3. Physical Health Issues: Prolonged use of smartphones, particularly in poor posture, can contribute to physical health problems such as neck strain, eye strain, and headaches.
4. Mental Health Concerns: Excessive use of smartphones has been linked to mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and stress. Social media use, in particular, can contribute to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.
5. Privacy Concerns: Smartphones often collect and store vast amounts of personal data. Privacy breaches, data hacks, and unauthorized access to personal information are ongoing concerns.
6. Distraction and Impaired Concentration: Constant notifications and the lure of social media can lead to distraction and reduced concentration, impacting academic and professional performance.
7. Cyberbullying: The prevalence of smartphones has facilitated online communication, but it has also given rise to cyberbullying, where individuals may experience harassment or threats through digital means.
8. Reduced Face-to-Face Interaction: The convenience of digital communication can lead to reduced face-to-face interaction, potentially affecting the development of social skills and personal relationships.
9. Environmental Impact: The production, use, and disposal of smartphones contribute to electronic waste and environmental degradation.
10. Security Risks: Smartphones are vulnerable to security risks such as malware, phishing attacks, and unauthorized access, potentially leading to identity theft and financial loss.

Risks of Using Smartphone as a device to distract the child:

Despite the risk, the smart phones are being misused by some parents to quell the attention seeking by their infants and toddlers. Many times, these are used as a device to divert their attention while parents undertake an activity like shopping. Some parents also use it as a device to avoid embarrassment in a public place caused by aggressive whaling and pasturing by the toddlers and small children. It might work as a short-term solution but can be potentially damaging. It might result in delayed speech and language development, impaired social skills, sleep disturbance, sedentary behaviour, reduced creativity, lack of attention and concentration and addiction. Further it disengages parents from child’s natural development and might result in the child watching something inappropriate at that age.

Limiting Screen Time of Children-a challenge:    

As explained in the foregoing, using smartphone as a device to distract the child merits forbiddance. This cannot and should not be compromised and the parents must find time to attend to toddlers and young ones.

Solutions by Tech Companies:

As for children in growing age, it remains a challenge to limit their screen in all forms to develop them physically and mentally.  Recognising this requirement, the tech companies have developed several ways to assist parents in controlling screen time of children. These include screen time controls, parental controls, age-appropriate content, device usage reports and bedtime modes in their devices. Yet the allurement to break the restrictions and rules remains natural and high and risk of children outsmarting these remains. It is intrinsically human to resist being monitored and children are no exception to this. Further they are tempted to break rules to quell their curiosity without caring for appropriateness of action.

The Way Forward:

While the solutions by tech companies have their own merits, it seems even more important to openly communicate with children about responsible device use and encourage them for a responsible conduct. It is crucial to foster a positive relationship with technology to keep pace with the world but not at the cost of physical and mental health. Therefore, all these measures are important in their own stride, but they can’t replace the following:

• Limiting your own screen time and prioritising a mobile free family time.
• Spending quality time outdoors and indoors in activities, interaction and games.
• Encouraging children to participate in family activities.
• Encouraging children for outdoor games.
• Inculcating reading habits and encouraging children for developing hobbies.
• Encouragement to learn music, painting or a trade based on child’s inclination
• Working jointly with child for their development.

In view of above, I believe that the parents have to lead the children by becoming their role model. Should they desire limiting child’s screen time, they must practice the same. This might seem like an infringement on independence of the parents, yet this might work as a better motivation for the child rather than controls.