This is an appendix to my review of Michel Desmurget’s 2022 book Screen Damage: The Dangers of Digital Media for Children. At the end of the book, Desmurget suggests “Seven Fundamental Rules.” However, they do not actually resemble a clear list, so I have reformulated them, incorporated other ideas from the book, and compiled them into a handy list.
I am sorry if this sounds harsh but this list has been compiled by someone who has no respect for young people and has never observed the process of self-directed learning and self-organization in young individuals. Harsh control in terms of access to knowledge and community and severe censorship have never empowered young people, these means have only made them less media and tech savvy and hence more vulnerable to any dangers they may encounter online once they are finally allowed to explore the online world. There is a lot of fear of technology among parents and there are many populist authors and politicians feeding on that fear, while in reality, no methodologically sound study has ever shown any causative negative effect of social media on kids' and teens' metal health. Jonathan Haidt's notorious book has been famously debunked by scientists who have actually devoted decades to this specific area. Moreover, for many kids and teens with mental health challenges, as well as for those among them who desperately struggle to understand what is going on with them (queer kids, for instance) the internet can be literally lifesaving, as it has been for my trans son. My other son taught himself programming and advanced math from a very early age, all thanks to YouTube. When you are different, online may be the only place you can find answers and stories by people who have been through the same struggles and who will tell you it'll get better like no therapist, or parent or teacher ever could. It's so important that today's society embraces young people's rights to make and own their decisions, to access resources and to make connections. This doesn't mean being negligent - this can be done in an engaged way, exactly the same way we learn to navigate the city, crossing the road, being out and about. You don't lock your kid up until they turn 18. This may have devastating effects on your kid's capacity discover themselves and their interests (which may be very different from what you can imagine as a parent or from what you even know exists), on their capacity to adapt to and survive in the digital world as well as on your relationship.
My daughter has been very strict with her three about iphone access and screentime. She and her partner are academics, intellectual and socially aware. However, many parents at her daughter’s school weren’t. Accordingly, one of their children recently suffered years social media group bullying by other kids of severe anti intellectualism, expressed through sexualised violence and resulting in her a physical breakdown and months of hospitalisation. Simply for being too ‘sensitive’ and inconveniently intelligent. I can see the logic of these rules but unless there is a political will to take on the toxic anarchy of a greed obssessed international Tech Broligarchy that informs the engineered base structuring of all digital media, my granddaughter’s persecution could soon become yet another societal Femicidal norm, all of us becoming complicit in this inhumane exchange for the benefits of Tech Bro profiteers.
Too bad. Alas, peer pressure is the toughest obstacle to building healthy digital habits. Forbidding gadgets at school is a step in the right direction. Also, "reality privilege" may soon become a regulator of social dynamics for kids, too.
I am sorry if this sounds harsh but this list has been compiled by someone who has no respect for young people and has never observed the process of self-directed learning and self-organization in young individuals. Harsh control in terms of access to knowledge and community and severe censorship have never empowered young people, these means have only made them less media and tech savvy and hence more vulnerable to any dangers they may encounter online once they are finally allowed to explore the online world. There is a lot of fear of technology among parents and there are many populist authors and politicians feeding on that fear, while in reality, no methodologically sound study has ever shown any causative negative effect of social media on kids' and teens' metal health. Jonathan Haidt's notorious book has been famously debunked by scientists who have actually devoted decades to this specific area. Moreover, for many kids and teens with mental health challenges, as well as for those among them who desperately struggle to understand what is going on with them (queer kids, for instance) the internet can be literally lifesaving, as it has been for my trans son. My other son taught himself programming and advanced math from a very early age, all thanks to YouTube. When you are different, online may be the only place you can find answers and stories by people who have been through the same struggles and who will tell you it'll get better like no therapist, or parent or teacher ever could. It's so important that today's society embraces young people's rights to make and own their decisions, to access resources and to make connections. This doesn't mean being negligent - this can be done in an engaged way, exactly the same way we learn to navigate the city, crossing the road, being out and about. You don't lock your kid up until they turn 18. This may have devastating effects on your kid's capacity discover themselves and their interests (which may be very different from what you can imagine as a parent or from what you even know exists), on their capacity to adapt to and survive in the digital world as well as on your relationship.
My daughter has been very strict with her three about iphone access and screentime. She and her partner are academics, intellectual and socially aware. However, many parents at her daughter’s school weren’t. Accordingly, one of their children recently suffered years social media group bullying by other kids of severe anti intellectualism, expressed through sexualised violence and resulting in her a physical breakdown and months of hospitalisation. Simply for being too ‘sensitive’ and inconveniently intelligent. I can see the logic of these rules but unless there is a political will to take on the toxic anarchy of a greed obssessed international Tech Broligarchy that informs the engineered base structuring of all digital media, my granddaughter’s persecution could soon become yet another societal Femicidal norm, all of us becoming complicit in this inhumane exchange for the benefits of Tech Bro profiteers.
Too bad. Alas, peer pressure is the toughest obstacle to building healthy digital habits. Forbidding gadgets at school is a step in the right direction. Also, "reality privilege" may soon become a regulator of social dynamics for kids, too.