Screen Time and Health
A Glance at Screen Time and it's Effect on Health
The line between our digital reality and the real world has never been so blurred.
Screen time, online tools and social media have been essential to our education, social and mental well-being and general access to information on many fronts, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though our smart devices have become central to day-to-day living, can something good become something unhealthy? Where does the threshold of screen-time excess fall?
How much screen time is too much? Does it matter which kind of online or digital content children spend their time consuming?
What will be the long-term consequences of the previous year on our mental and physical health?
How much is too much? Then and now
A short 15 years ago, researchers and newspaper articles were focused on the time children spent in front of the television, and expressed concerns regarding the average two hours per day spent watching TV, and the additional hour on their school computers. The 2006 poll conducted by the British Dietetic Association, expressed concerns that a sedentary lifestyle would lead to a rise in obesity among children. They estimated that by 2020, one in five boys and one in three girls in the UK would be classified as obese. Research from 2020 does, in fact, show that obesity has become prevalent in children: NHS data for the school year 2019/2020 demonstrated that 23.6% of boys in the sixth grade were categorized as obese, and 18.4% of girls.
By 2009, two to three hours of screen time in 2006 had risen to around six hours per day. A survey by the Childwise Research Agency showed that children in Britain were spending 2.7 hours a day in front of the TV, 1.5 hours online and 1.3 hours playing video games. An issue which they put a special focus on was the fact that fewer and fewer children and young adults were spending their time reading books. Around 2010, we already see the term addiction being used to talk about the time children spend on their computers, and many newspapers and websites started providing tips for parents to prevent and/or recognize screen addiction. Experts were suggesting to limit the time children spent in front of TV and computer screens to one or two hours per day. At that time, most children were just starting to use cellular phones, and the devices’ internet access was limited. It wasn’t until 2012 that smartphones became a thing – and changed the access to being online forever. According to global statistics on web use, there were over 5.19 billion mobile phone users around the world in 2020, with more than 4.54 billion people using the internet on a daily basis, and averaging an astonishing 6 hours and 43 minutes online each day.
A recent publication by UCL Press entitled “The Global Smartphone” shone light on how our relationship to the portable smart device has changed based on anthropological research conducted in various countries around the globe over a period of 16 months. In an interview for the “Guardian”, prof. Daniel Miller, who was one of the leading researchers on the project, explained “transportal home” to explain the phenomenon of humans treating their phones as places that provide refuge, connectivity with friends, family, and facilitate relationships with loved ones even if they are long-distance.
The new possibilities granted to us by technology have led to some dramatic changes in our lifestyle, two of which are mentioned in the UCL study – perpetual opportunism and the death of proximity. On the one hand, the immediate availability of content and information has changed the way we move and plan things – maps and virtual assistants have made it possible to travel on a whim while staying connected and retaining a certain level of safety. The plethora of entertainment apps which are a click away at any moment has changed the way we perceive time, as well as our expectations of content, attention spans and ideas of boredom. Rather than trying to make moments last (as was the original triumph of photography and video), we are moving towards a more transient understanding of information. On the other hand, having all of these possibilities immediately on hand has brought about the death of proximity, a phenomenon best illustrated by the fact that most of us no longer have meals, conversations and breaks during which our phones are disconnected or turned off. The digital realm has, in a sense, brought us closer to those who are thousands of miles away, while at the same time distancing us from those sitting next to us.
Detriments of too much screen time
Most of the original arguments against allowing children to spend too much time in front of computers, television screens, and phones and/or tablets concerned predicted effects on their physical health, eyesight, posture, lack of physical exercise and potential for obesity. As our virtual lives became more and more intertwined with “real” life, the issues surrounding mental health became more prominent in public discussion. Questions of the effects of social media and online content on depression, anxiety and sense of self-worth, as well as different topics related to mental health such as sleep deprivation are being raised by both the media and professionals in the fields of social sciences and pediatric medicine.
One of the most recent topics to arise within this discussion of over 15 years is the effect of social media on children’s security and well-being. Facebook has recently announced they are developing an Instagram for kids, which has raised a few eyebrows among lawyers and child safety experts, as well as concerned parents and members of the public.
Easy access to online can leave underage users prone to digital violence, cyber-bullying and even sexual grooming. Some studies also connect social media with unrealistic expectations of both one’s physical appearance (leading to eating disorders, body-shaming, etc.) and success in life, social anxiety (FOMO), depression and even suicidal tendencies. The amount of insight the companies have into their users’ mental health became evident when Facebook’s algorithm started recognizing symptoms of manic stages in persons with bipolar disorder. While this could arguably be used to help treatment, it is important to note that some (or most) of the information we post on social media is also used to help advertisers reach their target audience. Today, it is not only about amount of time spent on a screen, but digital literacy: How do we teach children how to recognize and protect themselves against harmful content and potential cyber threats?
In terms of children’s psychophysical well-being, some of the old arguments still apply today – a 2018 overview provided a list of the main risks connected with excessive use of digital technology, which included lack of attention, delays in language development and social development, physical inactivity and obesity, poor sleep quality, social issues and anxiety, low creativity, and aggressive behaviors. Other issues include negative effects on growth and posture, as well as a wide array of health risks connected with prolonged sitting, such as high blood-pressure, risk of diabetes, high BMI, and even risks of some forms of cancer. There are many resources concerned with negative effects of screen time on eyesight.
What are the benefits of screen time?
In light of current events, many benefits of online tools and electronic devices have become very apparent. Social media, and especially apps such as Zoom, Whatsapp, Wechat, etc. have made it possible to stay connected with friends and family during extended periods of isolation. Conference calls and digital platforms have also made online lessons and working from home more convenient.
A UNICEF report shows 1 in 3 children are regular internet users, most frequently accessed through their phones. The authors of the report state that in the modern world, more attention should be paid to the ways in which children use digital tools and devices, rather than the amount of time they spend using them. Most of the children involved in the survey reported they used their phones to play games, stay in touch with friends, and do schoolwork, but many of them also use creative apps for enhancing their learning process. ESL learners benefit greatly from all forms of online content, as most of it (including games, articles, cartoons, and pop music) is in English. Some of the participants also reported they used social media and chatting apps to keep up with school work, read news and share educational videos which help them understand lessons. Teenagers even said they had their own blogs, and used the internet to share opinions and information on current events. For some of them, the digital world provides a safe space to communicate with peers about sensitive topics, come to terms with their identity and find their voice.
In general, there are quite a few ways in which digital tools and electronic devices can benefit children’s development. Many tools and apps have educational value, promote curiosity and help enrich children’s learning experiences. There are many video games which include elements of storytelling, interactive learning as well as improve motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Minecraft is a great example of a non-violent game which has been linked with promoting creativity and skills like problem-solving, logic and teamwork.
Social media and chatting apps help children stay in touch with their friends and make communication easier for those kids who are shy or have difficulties socializing with their peers. On the other hand, the current circumstances have extended this aspect of connectivity to family members, relatives living in different places around the world, as well as teachers, mentors and counselors. Being online has made it possible for most children to maintain a somewhat normal daily routine in times when even most adults were faced with great amounts of stress, anxiety and depression.
To sum up, these uncertain times have seen an upsurge in screen time in both adults and children, and for this reason it is important to consider some of the long-term consequences. There are many reasons why we should think about limiting and overseeing the time children spend in front of different devices, but it is also important to accept the fact that while we are living in the digital era, children are born in it. UNICEF’sguidelines provide a few useful recommendations regarding screen time during the pandemic, most of which focus on balancing online and offline activities and being open with children about both the risks and the opportunities of the virtual world
