Advancements in science and technology have made life easier, more efficient, and more convenient for people worldwide. Although technology has had many positive effects on our lives, some consequences of using too much technology have arisen, negatively affecting the lives of individuals and children. Children are more likely to fall under the influence of something quickly and may face worse impacts than adults. This is true for technology as well.
Here are 10 Ways New Technology Will Negatively Impact Children
Social Development
As social beings, social development is an integral part of human life. It plays a vital role in the bonds we make and how we behave in social settings. Excessive use of technology can have a range of negative impacts on the social development skills of children. Increased use of new technology like AI, social media, or video games could lead to struggles with developing real-life social bonds. This could make them socially awkward, shy, or intimidated by social situations.
Cognitive Development
Another critical aspect of child growth is cognitive development, which refers to how a child processes information, perceives things, language learning, etc. Studies have shown that excessive use of the internet and other technological devices is associated with lower cognitive functioning in children. This means that children showed a decrease in verbal intelligence and slight increases in areas of the brain related to language processing, attention, etc. Although some studies have shown that technology could improve children’s language skills, excessive use of technology has shown slower development in their overall cognitive skills.
Low-Self Esteem
Another common impact of using social media and technology is a decrease in children’s self-esteem. People, especially influencers, often use a large amount of content and features online to enhance their physical appearance, resulting in unrealistic representations of their appearance. Children who come across this kind of content often compare themselves to people online, leading to a negative impact on body image and their self-esteem. Many times, young children develop a negative relationship with their bodies due to unrealistic representations online.
Ability to Focus
A child’s ability to focus often decreases with extended use of technology over time. Children use devices for extended periods, whether gaming on a computer or virtual reality devices, watching shows and movies, or using their phones. This often leads to a loss or decrease in their ability to focus on other aspects of life, which in turn affects their communication and social skills as well.
Lack of Sleep
Heavy use of technology often leads to a decrease in the time children have to perform necessary daily functions, including sleeping. Lack of sleep or sleep less than recommended could adversely affect a child’s development. However, using technology for long periods of time takes away children’s time for school, studying, and even sleeping. The blue light emitted from screens often keeps the brain awake, making it harder for children to fall asleep and leading to insomnia.
Health Issues
Technology use can often lead to health-related issues for children, such as a lack of physical activities, lack of proper sleep, or lack of proper eating habits. Health issues can arise because of multiple reasons. If a child does not have healthy eating habits and refrains from physical activities, issues like diabetes or obesity may arise. If a child’s sleep quality is affected, their immune system and overall well-being could also be affected. Technology often takes away the time that children can use for healthier practices. To minimize the risks of health-related issues, the use of technology must be minimized.
Harmful Content
Technology has made it easy for children to access online content and social media platforms. Monitoring a child’s technological use is not easy, so they often fall prey to inappropriate content or potential predators. The use of various kinds of platforms and access to the internet can leave children at risk of exposure to various risks that may arise by clicking on dangerous links, befriending strangers with ulterior motives, or accidentally accessing adult and violent content. Exposure to inappropriate and harmful content at a young age could adversely affect a child’s mental psychology in the long run.
Unhealthy Food Consumption
Social media and games with advertisements lead to exposure to various kinds of unhealthy food that lack nutritional value. Children see all kinds of food advertised through their games or online content and are easily influenced to consume the food, regardless of how healthy or unhealthy the food items are. The increased intake of this unhealthy food often leads to other health issues. Even though many games or online content do not advertise high-calorie food items, children who see these items are often more likely to have unhealthier eating habits.
Cyberbullying
Along with technology came a new wave of bullying that has affected many children and even adults online. Cyberbullying is a significant problem that arose with the use of the internet and social media platforms. Technology has many capabilities, one of which allows people to remain unidentifiable online. This enables children to create accounts to cyberbully other children, whether by spreading rumors or saying mean things. Many times, locating the bullies online may be unsuccessful.
Warped Sense of Reality
Technology has given children a different sense of reality. Whether through artificial intelligence, virtual reality, or social media platforms, children are exposed to a new reality where individuals seldom behave like they would in real life. If children spend too much time in the digital world, they may develop a warped sense of reality where they view the natural world as seen in their digital world. This could affect their ability to form connections with others, or the ability to follow laws, or even their ability to mature.
Harvi Sadhra is the CEO of Revir Media. He has over 10 years of experience in digital media and has been featured in many of the largest media brands on topics related to finance, stocks, money, technology, and more.