Digital media companies sell your child's attention (or childhood) to companies advertising their products. They invest millions in engineering their platforms to promote "user engagement" (or addiction), and they have been very successful.
With respect to social media in particular, in June of 2024, the US Surgeon General wrote:
The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor. Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the average daily use in this age group, as of the summer of 2023, was 4.8 hours. Additionally, nearly half of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their bodies. It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.
Weaning an child off of digital media is very difficult. We recommend encouraging your child to engage with any of the many other childhood activities (many of which are detailed in this app) and SEVERELY LIMITING ACCESS TO DIGITAL MEDIA via the following plan:
0 - 2yo:
- No digital media or screen time prior to 2yo
3yo and up:
- Caregivers set good examples by following these rules as well
- Don't bring video game consoles into your home. They are EXTREMELY habit forming and likely will result in years of friction between you and your child
Protect Childhood
- Limit non-school related digital media to 1 hour per day, and only after 1 hour of physical activity, bedroom is clean and child has brushed teeth
- No smartphones until high school
- No social media until 16yo
Protect Homework and Family Time
- No entertainment media while doing homework or eating with family
Protect Time for Sleep
- No digital media in the 1 hour before bedtime
- Disable internet 30min prior to bedtime
- No screens in bedrooms
- Charge devices in parent or caregiver's bedroom