Technology and Media Considerations

TWEENS, TEENS, AND ADOLESCENCE

GREEN MEADOW WALDORF SCHOOL ALLEN BROADMAN, TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA LITERACY TEACHER Overview

1. What is the situation with Technology and Media?

2. Heath and Medical Organization Recommendations

3. Practical Issues and Options for Parent Responses

4. Discussion and Q & A Allen’s Background Teacher: ◦ Teacher for GMWS technology and media literacy curriculum ◦ Former 6th grade math teacher in public school Green Meadow: ◦ Former member of the GMWS Parent Council and Steering Committee ◦ Father of two children who went to Green Meadow through 8th grade Professional/Educational: ◦ Software Developer for over 25 years ◦ Academic background in sociology and philosophy Focus on Grades 5-9

Transitional years

Before 5th grade there is little need to be online or have a phone

After 9th grade different approaches needed Information Sources References and presentation will be available to parents

U.S. National Institutes of Health World Health Organization American Academy of Pediatrics Journal of the American Medical Association Mayo Clinic Common Sense Media What is the Situation with Technology and Media? Key Ideas Getting Online

You can generally assume that every electronic device has access to the internet and that most apps and games have chat and messaging built in. Personal Information

Almost everything students do online is monitored, collected, permanently stored, analyzed, and bought and sold as commodity information.

It’s the same for parents and everyone else. Profiling

Any company interested in selling products or services and influencing people can purchase a detailed behavioral profile about you.

Personal information, employment history, health data, financial background and details, education, web browsing history, property records, online purchases and in-store shopping, entertainment interests, and more. No Age Restrictions

Age-restricted access for creating new accounts on websites, apps, and services do not really exist.

Anyone of any age can create a new account on almost any service. Hard-core Pornography is one-click away

A YouTube search for just the word “sex” returns a mix of free videos ranging from “sex education” to “the sex pistols” to hard-core pornography.

A search with the query “sex photos” returns results filled with hard- core sex imagery and links to free, unrestricted videos. Hard-core Pornography is one-click away

Demo

(will not show pornography) Being Online Getting Online How Do Kids Connect to the Internet?

Smart phones

Laptop & desktop Computers

Tablets (iPad, Amazon Fire) e-Readers (Kindle, Nook)

Game Consoles (Playstation, Xbox)

Portable Gaming Devices (Nintendo, DS, Sony PSP)

“Plain” televisions (Samsung, Sony) Getting Online Any Child Can Create Accounts

Forget preconceived notions about age-restricted apps or sites:

Any child can create a free email account (, Yahoo, Live.com, etc.)

Any child can register to use or other web sites (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, etc.) Who has Smartphones?

By age 11 ◦ 50% of children have their own smartphone By age 12 ◦ 70% of children have their own smartphone < 15% use an app to track screen time What are our Children Doing Online?

Communication (texting, video chat)

Social Media

Entertainment (music, video)

Gaming

Searching for information

Reading

Higher-Risk Activities ◦ communicating anonymously with strangers, searching for inappropriate content How Much Time is Spent Online? Some 2019 U.S. Statistics

Average consumption of entertainment media: (excludes texting) • Tweens: about 5 hours per day • Teens: about 7 hours per day

Over 80% of consumption from: • Watching videos • Gaming • Social Media

< 3% from creating content (writing, digital music or art) Most Popular Apps Search ◦ : ◦ iMessage, WhatsApp Social: ◦ Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, , Tumblr Video: ◦ YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video Music/Audio: ◦ Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Soundcloud, Stitcher Gaming: ◦ Minecraft, Fortnite, Call of Duty, Candy Crush Troubling Apps

Concerning issues are anonymity and strangers:

Kik: text messaging that does NOT require a phone number Whisper: anonymous social networking Ask.fm: anonymous question and answer service Chatous: socializing with random strangers worldwide Holla: anonymous video chat Tellonym: anonymous comments about real profiles Positives and Risks Positives Social support, especially for those kids who are: ◦ isolated by geography ◦ restricted by chronic illness or disabilities ◦ identifying as LGBTQ ◦ in any kind of minority that results in feelings of alienation Educational and learning opportunities Exposure to a variety of new ideas and ways of thinking Creativity-supporting tools for the arts (photo, drawing, music) Little or no cost barriers Risks

Exposure to age-inappropriate content Loss of privacy Stress from social media, including isolation and cyber-bullying Excessive use or possibly dependence on devices and media Permanent record of online activities Malware taking advantage of young and naïve users Lurkers and Predators Risks Inappropriate Content

Sexually explicit materials and pornography

Violence (cruelty to people and animals, self-harm promotion)

Prejudice (sexist, racist, anti-LGBTQ, anti-religious)

Drug / Alcohol / Tobacco / Vaping promotion

Vulgarity, Profanity, Gambling Risks How is Inappropriate Content Encountered?

Google ◦ The gateway to inappropriate content at other sites

YouTube ◦ Mostly free, uncensored video content of every possible type

Netflix, Amazon Video, Apple TV, Hulu ◦ Paid services, but once logged in, everything accessible

Humor sites ◦ FunnyorDie, CollegeHumor, and others

Video Games (Mature Rated) ◦ Violence, gore, profanity, sex, drug and alcohol use, smoking, vaping, gambling Concerns Screen Time

Excessive screen use associated with health harms

Strongest evidence is risk factors for: ◦ obesity and unhealthy diet ◦ depression ◦ social-emotional quality of life measures

Healthy and important activities forced out by screen time Engineered Dependence

Behavioral psychology used by app designers Casinos, Advertising, and Gaming industries doing this for decades How Apps maximize “time-on-device” ◦ “Like” buttons and followers provide social validation ◦ Streaks reinforce commitment to checking an app ◦ Push notifications interrupt you and trigger FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) ◦ Reward anticipation and structures increase engagement ◦ “Recommended for you” items maximize screen time not relevance Recommendations enable confirmation bias and extreme viewpoints Some Statistics about Children Online Content and Encounters • 30% of children have seen sexually explicit content by age 12 (65% by age 15) • 30% of children ages 12-15 have encountered sexist, racist, and other prejudiced content • 40% of children have not told anyone about the worst thing that happened to them online

Anonymity and Strangers • 20% of children who have met an online stranger face-to-face did not tell or take anyone the first time • 10% of children who video chat with anonymous strangers have been asked to undress

Dependence in Adolescents • 25% describe themselves as constantly connected to the internet • 50% report at times feeling addicted to their phones • 50% of their media use involves media multitasking Tween Concerns Unprepared or Underprepared

Know very little (or nothing) about online risks

Can catch you off guard with their tech skills

Just old enough to be left alone or unmonitored

Healthy curiosity can lead them astray

Natural risk-takers and defiant to authority Tween Concerns Example from Grade 7 Green Meadow Curriculum

Situation: Karen is 13 and she often posts questions on an anonymous social networking site. Someone on the site who has answered most of her questions, and who seems very nice, asks if they can meet her one day after school and become in-person friends.

How should Karen respond? Choose: Green / Yellow / Red Part 2 HEALTH AND MEDICAL ORGANIZATION RECOMMENDATIONS Journal of the American Medical Association

2019 Pediatric Research Report ◦ children ages 6-12 should sleep 9 to 12 hours per night (8 to 10 hours for adolescents ages 14-18) ◦ all need at least 1 hour of vigorous-intensity physical activity daily ◦ both groups should limit total daily screen time to less than 2 hours per day

Only five percent of adolescents in the U.S. are meeting these national recommendations for sleep, exercise, and screen time American Academy of Pediatrics

Ban devices and media use an hour before bedtime No devices or TVs in bedrooms Discourage use of entertainment media during homework Designate media-free places and times (such as dinner) Watch what your kids watch and talk to them about content Don’t let media replace adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health Mayo Clinic

Prioritize unplugged, unstructured playtime Use parental control apps for limiting time and filtering content Make sure your child is nearby during screen time Eliminate background TV Limit your own screen time Mayo Clinic Recommendations present in the GMWS Curriculum

Discuss what your children are watching and educate them about advertising

Encourage your child to think critically about what they see on screens

Ask your child to consider whether everything on the internet is accurate Part 3

PRACTICAL ISSUES AND OPTIONS FOR PARENT RESPONSES Perspectives “Every time I'm in a restaurant and I see two parents on phones with two babies on iPads I just want to fall on the ground and weep.”

“Through grade five, students are told ‘Don't touch the fire’ and then in high school they're told, ‘Well you're expected to know how to use fire’ ”

Two Green Meadow Parent Quotes Embrace, Adapt, Resist?

You don’t need to choose only one strategy…

Productive use vs. Consumption use

Personal use vs. Community use

“Proper” use vs. Overuse and Misuse Watching Closely

Paying close attention to what your child is doing with their device is the most powerful tool you have for helping them use it in healthy ways.

If you keep the passcode to your child’s device, they will likely forget that you have it within a day. Getting your Child a First Device

● Giving your child a device of any kind is going to impact: - your child, your family, and the class

● Nagging can wear any parent down, even the strongest

● Parent negotiating strength at its maximum when your child pushes the hardest How Children Break Rules and Avoid Limits

● Use devices and media longer than permitted because you’re distracted

● Use them at their friends’ homes or other outside locations

● Use a device after bedtime when you think they’re asleep

● Download apps that are not permitted, then create fake accounts

● Rely on your mistaken beliefs that: “My child would never do that” “My child couldn’t possibly know how to do that” Options for Setting Limits Where is the device used

● You keep the device and the child must ask you for it

● The device stays in a common area when not used

● The device is only used in your presence

● The device doesn’t leave your home Options for Setting Limits When is the device used

● Weekends only

● Not on school nights

● Not within an hour of bedtime

● Less than some number of hours per day

● After all homework (or other responsibilities) are completed Options for Setting Limits How is the device used

● You know the passcode to your child’s device and the passwords to apps

● Some types of use are allowed, but others are not Examples:

○ Texting with family is okay, but not with classmates

○ Listening to music is okay, but not social media or gaming

○ Gaming is okay, but only with a specific app (Minecraft, etc.) Technology that can Help Apple iOS and macOS Screen Time

● iPhones, iPads, iPods, and Macs

● Free

● Built-in (no installing needed)

● Configured in the device’s Settings app

● NOT PERFECT but very helpful Apple iOS and macOS Screen Time

● Parents have their own separate passcode

● Limit time of day when device is used

● Set length of time the device is used

● Block explicit content from the web and in music

● Enforce privacy

● Restrict installing apps, gaming, and App Store purchases

● Get a summary of your child’s usage categorized by type of use Google/Android Devices Google Family Link

● Samsung Galaxy, Google ,

● Free

● Download from the Store

● Configure settings in the app Google/Android Devices Google Family Link

● Set automatic usage limits

● Allow and prevent the installing of apps

● Lock the device to prevent its use

● Get reports about the child’s usage of various apps

● Does NOT block inappropriate content Other Apps for Parental Controls Family Time, Qustodio, and Bark

● Supports all phone types, Mac and Microsoft Windows devices

● Annual fees ranging from $30 to $100 per year

● More features than free apps

● Provide highly detailed information

○ monitor text , emails, websites visited, and more Part 4

DISCUSSION AND Q & A References References Media Usage Statistics and Reports

2019 Common Sense Census: Tween and Teens https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/research/2019-census-8-to-18- key-findings-updated.pdf 2016 Martellozzo et al, NSPCC Report (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) https://www.mdx.ac.uk/data/assets/pdf_file/0021/223266/MDX-NSPCC-OCC-pornography- report.pdf 2016 OfCom, Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report https://www.ofcom.org.uk/data/assets/pdf_file/0034/93976/Children-Parents-Media-Use- Attitudes-Report-2016.pdf 2018 LGFL (London Grid for Learning) Report on Student Online Safety https://www.lgfl.net/online-safety/hopesandstreams References Recommendations on Screen Time and Child Health

2018 American Academy of Pediatrics, Media Recommendations for Children https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety- tips/Pages/Children-and-Media-Tips.aspx 2016 American Academy of Pediatrics, Children and Adolescents and Digital Media Technical Report https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/138/5/e20162593.full.pdf Effects of screentime on the health and well-being of children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6326346/#!po=83.8235 References Recommendations on Screen Time and Child Health Prevalence and Likelihood of Meeting Sleep, Physical Activity, and Screen-Time Guidelines Among U.S. Youth https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2723518 Mayo Clinic: Screen time and children: How to guide your child https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/screen-time/art- 20047952 References Data collection and commodification The WIRED Guide to Your Personal Data (and Who Is Using It) https://www.wired.com/story/wired-guide-personal-data-collection/

What Are 'Data Brokers,' and Why Are They Scooping Up Information About You? https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/bjpx3w/what-are-data-brokers-and-how-to-stop-my- private-data-collection References Parental Control Apps for iOS and Android Apple Screen Time Overview https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208982 Apple Parental Controls Documentation https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201304 Google Family Link for Android Devices https://families.google.com/familylink/ Google Family Link FAQ: https://families.google.com/familylink/faq/ References Other Parental Control Apps

Family Time: https://familytime.io/

Qustodio: https://www.qustodio.com/en/

Bark: https://www.bark.us/#how References Behavioral psychology and app engineering

Center for Humane Technology https://humanetech.com/ Describes the impacts from the monetization of attention

1843 Magazine The Scientists who make Apps Addictive https://www.1843magazine.com/features/the-scientists-who-make-apps-addictive References Media Literacy and Online Safety Organizations

Common Sense Media https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ Media Literacy Now https://medialiteracynow.org/ Family Online Online Safety Institute https://www.fosi.org/ National Cyber Security Alliance https://staysafeonline.org/ Project Look Sharp at Ithaca College https://www.projectlooksharp.org/#