Helping Children Responsibly Interact with Media
Leonard A. Jason, Ph.D.
Summary
I
have developed technologies to help parents control their children's media
exposure. Parents and educators around the country are concerned over the
amount of time children view technologies that are increasingly available in
many homes (VCRs, cable, Internet, video games, cell phones, etc.). Part of
this concern stems from the fact that a considerable amount of violence is
regularly portrayed on media technologies. In addition, those youngsters who
watch an excessive amount of media technologies have little time for developing
other interests and hobbies. Using simple electronic
principles and behavior modification, it is possible to reduce children's media
viewing.
The Problem of Viewing Media Technologies
Kids, TV, and the Electronic Media: Solutions From the Home Front
--Leonard A. Jason, Ph.D. and Libby Kennedy Hanaway
It used to be simpler. When today's parents were kids, the media options were
served from a limited plate: Kookla, Fran, and Ollie
and My Three Sons, Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books, occasional Saturday
matinees, and maybe (if they're pushing 50) a serialized radio show or two. For
the most part, these amusements functioned as entertaining, yet manageable
punctuation in the lives of children and youth. Fast forward to the late
1990's, a time in which kids are constantly bombarded with glowing, flickering
media options. Network, cable, and satellite television, web sites, chat rooms,
MTV, WebTV, Sega Genesis, Nintendo, CD-ROMs, books, magazines, and e-mail
constitute more than just punctuation in the lives of children today; they are
a central substance and presence.
This explosion of electronic entertainment is not a necessarily negative
development; indeed most of these innovations represent an amazing leap forward
in the realms of entertainment, education, communication, and everyday fun. Yet
for all the dazzling allure and promise of the electronic frontier, many
parents, educators, researchers, and child advocates have legitimate
reservations about their wholesale, wholehearted adoption on the part of
American children and youth. Of the two chief concerns, one is a problem of
content, the other a problem of time.
Content is the more obvious of the two issues. Take TV, for example. As any
parent knows, putting a child in front of a television set has become an
increasingly dicey move. The smattering of quality programs, some intended for
children and families, some not, is routinely squeezed out by a roaring
audio-visual parade of lame sex jokes, paranormal sleaze and slime, and tired,
demeaning stereotyping. Televised violence is a topic of particular concern;
there are about 20 violent acts each hour in children's TV shows alone.
According to the American Psychological Association, decades of psychological
research have shown that violence on TV may make children less sensitive to the
pain and suffering of others, more fearful of the world around them, and more
likely to behave in aggressive and harmful ways toward others. In studies on
related topics, children themselves have reported that TV makes them think that
people are dishonest, selfish, and care more about money than other people.
They also confess that TV encourages them to talk back to parents. Content
problems plague other entertainment options as well. Video game manufacturers
specialize in peddling testosterone-laced killing fields, while web site
creators openly invite kids to view violent scenes of pornography.
In addition to issue of content, the field of electronic entertainment also
presents the more subtle problem of time. American children spend an average of
4 hours of television a day, 28 hours per week watching TV; by age 18 they have
watched 22,000 hours of TV--more time than they ever spent in the classroom.
Add to these totals the time kids devote to ancillary electronic pursuits like
video games and computer activities, and the result is a generation of media
savvy, if not media weary kids.
In the same way kids adore sugar-coated cereal and late bedtimes, we should not
be surprised that children devote so much time to the electronic media. But
like other appealing but non-edifying aspects of childhood, excessive
indulgence in electronic entertainment is unhealthy and in some cases outright
dangerous. At risk for the TV-seasoned child is the failure to develop crucial
social skills, the lack of meaningful family interaction, the sacrifice of
reading time (which can affect cognitive development and academic achievement)
and physical and imaginative play, and the faulty expectation that life should
deliver easy, instant entertainment.
Most parents know that between the issues of content and time, a good situation
is not at hand. Though television can be a temptingly handy baby-sitter, even
the most beleaguered parent must admit that in excess or in age-inappropriate
doses television and other electronic entertainment options create an
unprofitable deal for their children. At the same time, though, many parents
are experiencing an increasing sense of powerlessness, feeling abandoned in a
sea of unsettling media messages. Especially in electronically advanced homes,
complete with cable TV and the surging waves of the Internet, parents feel at a
loss to control the tide of information and images rushing toward their
children.
A parent's natural reaction might be to push the whole load of blame on the
media industry, the very source of the storm. And while the media industry does
bear the burden of guilt in this debate, finger pointing alone will not improve
the landscape for our children. To truly stem the tide and preserve the
integrity of families, solutions are going to have to come from all quarters,
parents included. Finger pointing is out, action is in.
Stepping
In
The effect of corralling parents into the picture is not intended to give the
electronic entertainment industry a way to quietly slip out the back gate of
responsibility. The industry remains responsible for its content, and where
reasonable it should chart an ethically correct course in delivering it. But
woe to the deluded soul who believes it will graciously adopt this enlightened
approach. Despite what we might hope or wish, as a business television and its
related industries will do as much as it can to remain profitable, even at the
expense of children. In the case of children's relationships with electronic
media, the ideal and the realistic are miles apart. And thanks to exploding
technology, the gap will continue to grow, putting ever more kids at risk. Fair
or not, parents must step in and do some of the dirty work themselves. In
truth, if we are after enduring, meaningful change--the kind that touches
individual kids in individual homes--no one can do it better than parents
anyway.
To begin, concerned parents should adopt a realistic view about the role the
electronic entertainment industry can or will have in creating a safer media
environment for kids. For example, parents should save themselves any future
exasperation by recognizing that the television industry (with the obvious
exceptions of cable channels like Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel) is not
particularly interested in courting the seemingly unprofitable child audience.
By deserting children and families during the traditional family hour, by
bumping kid-friendly programming in favor of morning news shows and tacky
afternoon talk shows, and by offering children's programs that are thinly
veiled licensed-product merchandising efforts, network television has very
clearly indicated its priorities. Half-hearted efforts at governmental compliance
complete the picture. In response to the demand for increased educational
programming for children as stipulated in the Children's Television Act of
1990, local broadcasters blithely offered programs like Donahue and The Jetsons
as examples of educational television. More recently during the ratings and
V-chip debate, the industry adopted a concept not unlike the fabled fox
guarding the chicken coop, allowing network producers to rate their own shows
on a fuzzy, nonspecific age-based standard.
On the other hand, parents should also become familiar with some of the
solutions--and their respective limitations--offered by various arms of the
industry. For example, as part of a voluntary effort, video, computer, cell
phones, and CD-ROM games now feature ratings that designate the games as
suitable for young children, preteenagers, teenagers up to and over the age of
17, and adults only. Cable companies offer blocking options for channels
subscribers deem undesirable. And beginning in 1999, the infamous V-chip
became available to consumers.
These are promising steps, but they will only carry consumers so far. As
solutions, they only seek to regulate or restrict the flow of material, rather
than improve it in the first place. They are patches, so to speak, and for
every patching solution offered there seems to be a serious leak. For example,
despite video game ratings, many retail outlets sell or rent games to anyone of
any age with cash in hand. As for the Internet, a source of serious concern for
many parents, recent efforts at a creating kid-friendly cyberspace have proven
inevitably weak given its breakneck rate of growth. There are now millions of
web pages, but many have not been rated by the Recreational Software Advisory
Council or SafeSurf. Meanwhile, software products
have been developed to block objectionable material and limit the times of the
day when kids can surf the Internet. Regrettably, most of these products can be
defeated, and those that can't are fairly to extremely restrictive, preventing
kids from getting most of their on-line experience.
As for the loudest debate of all, neither a rating system nor the V-chip is
going fully solve our problems with children's TV viewing. First, only new TV
sets will have the V-chips within them, meaning that many families will need to
spend money to reap the benefits of this technology for the first several
years. If you want to purchase a V-chip, see the section on devices.
Either by design or by default, the media industry is incapable of satisfying
the concerns of parents wary of its influence. And where the industry leaves
off, parents must be willing to jump in and pick up the slack. No one else is
going to do the hard work of monitoring what kind and how much television
children watch. And no one knows individual kids' needs and temperaments better
than their parents. In the end, there is no substitute for parental guidance,
which is the key for kids making the most of their TV and Internet experiences.
Making a
Difference
Parents overwhelmed by the long reach of the media might be at a loss over
where and how to start making a dent in its consumption. Fortunately, it's
fairly simple. It begins with small, daily decisions made right at the
breakfast table, in the living room, or wherever family life unfolds: How much
TV will be allowed on weekdays? On weekends? How much time can each child spend
surfing the Internet or playing Nintendo? Which television programs and video
games will be declared off-limits? On what basis? And what, besides electronic
entertainment, can engagingly fill a child's free hours?
For the most part, a parent's decisions will return again to the central issues
of content and time. Though content issues--replete with oozing bullet wounds
and references to casual sex--tend to garner the most attention, the more
fundamental issue is really that of time. Childhood is short, and parents need
to honestly consider how much of their kids' time is worth devoting to the
small screen. If an honest review shows a need for change, parents should be
ready for action.
The most obvious step involves developing and maintaining consistently enforced
rules regarding how much time kids can spend watching TV and pursuing video and
computer activities. This is hard, almost always unwelcome work, but sitting
down with kids and presenting a fair, but firm plan is an essential place to
start. Though most experts suggest keeping the limit under two hours a day,
families should individually consider their own goals and needs and come up
with their expectations and strategy accordingly. Regardless how a family's
rules actually take shape, logical consequences should consistently follow up
any creative rule bending; on the other hand, kids who stick to the new plan
deserve plenty of acknowledgment and praise (and maybe even a reward or two: A
trip to the zoo? Pizza and a movie?) for working to break a difficult habit.
No doubt, the task of monitoring kids' media habits is made more difficult by
the prospect of working parents and single parent homes. Those parents who find
themselves unable to keep an eye on their kids' TV, video, and computer
consumption might consider finding quality afterschool programs, making certain
homework or chore requirements, developing a level of trust that TV privileges
will not be abused, or investigating the products available aimed at limiting
and monitoring kids' TV consumption in the absence of parental supervision.
Though establishing clear rules and expectations is a natural start, the better
and more enduring part of monitoring involves the clever art of diversionary
tactics--that is, introducing kids to pleasures beyond the small screen to make
it less attractive in the first place. Homes that heartily encourage art,
music, storytelling, reading, imaginative play, sports, and nature will find
that television and other electronic entertainment naturally play less central
roles in their kids' lives. This "liberal arts" approach to family
life is easiest to institute when children are very young, but even families
with older, dedicated viewers will see positive changes if new interests and
opportunities are enthusiastically introduced.
If parents can commit to the admittedly hard work of monitoring how much time
is spent watching TV and playing computer games, more than half the battle is
already won. The other half of the equation--the issue of content--will have
been mitigated in part simply by limiting the time of their overall exposure.
Yet even with time rules in place, content issues will continue to drive many
parents to distraction. Here parents will need to
step in, as well.
One of the best ways parents can monitor television's content is simply by
watching TV and media with their kids, serving as clarifiers, translators, and
even censors when necessary. Not only does this keep TV and media on the level
of an active family activity, but it also serves as a great forum for values
instruction. Demeaning stereotypes can be countered, positive messages can be
applauded, consequence-free violence can be challenged, and delicate
conversations on difficult topics like sex and racism can be broached. Parental
involvement is the ideal, but in the real world parents cannot always be on
hand to run television interference. To help them learn to make appropriate
decisions on their own, kids need clear guidelines regarding acceptable and
unacceptable programs and material. Parents need to determine content limits
and, no less importantly, explain their reasoning to their kids. Not only will
an explanation make content limits seem more logical and less punitive, but it
also gives kids a solid model for their own decision-making processes.
Moreover, when kids understand a parent's reasoning, they may be less likely to
push the boundaries when they're on their own.
Parents should also get involved in the content debate a wider scale by actively
voicing their disapproval (or support, as the case may be) to local stations
and national networks. To the extent that network television exists to serve
the FCC's famed "public good," parents have a wholly legitimate basis
on which to continue clamoring about increasing quality programming for
children. More potently, perhaps, to the extent that they are television
consumers--watching long strings of commercials for toothpaste and four-wheel
drive vehicles--parents have an absolute right to voice their opinions (and
then a responsibility to follow up with boycotts and letter-writing campaigns
if appropriate). Networks have a knack for developing a considerably more
sensitive ear when ratings and profits are at stake. Finally, if parents remain
dissatisfied with the current age-based rating system in place, they should
continue pressuring both the industry and their state and federal Congressmen
and women for a shift to detailed, content-based ratings.
Where kids are concerned, content is a key issue; but again, quality only goes
so far. No matter if every program that aired on television was suddenly
stellar in content and education motive, it would little benefit kids placed in
TV's care hour upon hour each day. To develop into a healthy, independent
adulthood, childhood must be a balance of feeling, touching, seeing, tasting,
smelling, fearing, loving, dreaming, and imagining. Childhood is a loud,
tactile, messy business; television, video games, and computer
activities--kid-friendly or not--are simply too passive, impersonal, and
limiting to wholly serve the developing needs of children.
No matter what obligations--real or perceived--the electronic entertainment
industry has toward kids and families, no producer, executive board, or network
president can be counted on to provide the environment that will ensure a
healthy, balanced childhood. This is a job for parents, one more in the hard,
but extraordinary business of raising kids.
1.
Many have asked this question: "What are good educational TV shows for
kids?"
Joyce and Steven Pokorny of Chicago have suggested the following TV programs as
particularly fun and educational for their two children: Out of the Box
(entertaining, diverse, and kids can use materials from the house to create
music and art), Arthur (diversity, real life issues are discussed and
resolved), Little Bear (farm animals work through emotional issues),
Amazing Animals (a lizard learns from other animals), Blues Clues (children get
to solve problems), and the old standby Sesame Street. Be sure to also try
concerts on Public Broadcasting, and to help wind down in the evening, how
about cooking shows on the cooking channel.
2.
Another parent asked what other sources of media are impacting on my kids that
I should be concerned about?
When
simultaneous use of multiple media is accounted for, exposure to the media
increases for many children to as much as 8 hours a day.
Some argue
that televisions will be displaced by online media including the Internet (Kayany, & Yelsma, 2000),
therefore devices to help parents control inappropriate media exposure will
need to include these newer technologies. Still, television continues to impact
PC activity and Internet use (Coffey, & Stipp,
1997).Much of the research published on problems involving the media has
focused on TVs and computer games. Most of the work is from theoretical or
philosophical aspects of media use by youth. Clearly, Internet use has
increased dramatically in recent years, leading to what some call pathological
use, or Internet addiction. Kandall (1998), for
example, defines psychological dependence on the Internet as characterized by
an increasing investment of resources on Internet-related activities and unpleasant
feelings (e.g., anxiety, depression, emptiness) when offline. There
are published examples of people who have abused the Internet which resulted in
significant impairment to family life (Young, 1996).
DeAngelis, T.
(2000). Internet addiction. American Psychological Association’s
Monitor, 31, No. 4.
Kayany, J.M., & Yelsma, P. (2000).
Displacement effects of online media in the socio-technical contexts of
households. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 44, 215-229. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15506878jobem4402_4
Kandell, J. (1998). Internet addiction on campus: The vulnerability of
college students. CyberPsychology and
Behavior, 1, 1.
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (1994). Kids and Media at the New
Millennium: A Kaiser Family Foundation. Report.
Young, K.S.
(1996). Addictive use of the internet. Psychological Reports, 79,
899-902.
3. Another
parent asked if there are new sources of exposure to violence that we need to
be concerned about?
According to
the American Academy of Pediatrics, exposure to violence in television, movies,
and video games is a significant risk to the health of children and adolescents
(Media Violence, 2001). A large proportion of this media exposure includes acts
of violence that are witnessed in the form of video games (Roberts,
2000). Video games put a child in the role of the aggressor and the child
is rewarded for violent behavior. Griffiths and Hunt (1998) maintain that
video games allow the player to rehearse an entire behavioral script, and video
games could produce dependence as children and adolescents want to play them
for long periods of time to advance to higher levels. Television and music
videos glamorize carrying and using weapons, and children in grades 4 through 8
prefer video games that award points for violence against others (Funk &
Buchman, 1996). Interactive media (e.g., video games and the Internet)
are relatively new, and consequently there has been little time to assess their
influence, but several studies indicate that these types of media may be even
more profound than those of passive media, such as television (Anderson &
Dill, 2000, Irwin & Gross, 1995). After playing video games, children
exhibit measurable decreases in prosocial behaviors and increases in violent
retaliation to provocation, and playing violent video games has been found to
account for a 13% to 22% increase in adolescents' violent behavior (The
Impact of Interactive Violence on Children. Hearing Before the Senate Committee
on Commerce, 2000).
Funk, J.
B, & Buchman, D.D. (1996). Playing violent video and computer games
and adolescent self-concept. Journal of
Communications, 46, 19-32.
Griffiths, M.D. & Hunt, N. (1998). Dependence on computer games by
adolescents. Psychological Reports,
82, 475-480.
Media Violence (2001). American Academy of Pediatrics, 108, 1222-1226.
Roberts, D.
F. (2000). Media and youth: access, exposure, and privatization. Journal of Adolescent Health,
27(suppl):8-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1054-139X(00)00128-2
The Impact of
Interactive Violence on Children (2000). Hearing Before the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 106th Cong, 1st Session (2000)
(statement of Craig Anderson, Professor,
4. Several
individuals have asked about my opinion of the TV show "Survivor",
and below I have written my reactions:
Survivors or
Gladiators?
Survivor, the
unexpected summer hit, has already spawned similar shows like "Big
Brother", and thousands of recruits are signing up for a slim shot at
being selected for the second run of "Survivor". Most viewers
will undoubtedly argue that this fantasy show is just good-natured
entertainment, and a refreshing change from the predictable and staged
"World Wrestling Federation" extravaganzas and ubiquitous melodramatic
soaps.
Enthusiastic
"Survivor" buffs were tantalized and stimulated in a way only hinted
at by emotional confrontations on our daily talk shows. Who could argue that
the survivors' interpersonal betrayals, scheming, and lying were any worse than
the blood shed and carnage that we view daily on our
favorite TV programs. Even if the darker and seamier side of life was on
display, with one participant calling the two finalists a rat and a snake, it
could be argued that such glimpses of the brutality within the human condition
might represent a healthy antidote to our complacency.
And yet, I
can't help but think that the show might have crossed the line, a divider that speaks to values and norms that have become
increasingly difficult to envision. I remember
the drama that unfolded when I participated in a small
encounter group at
Are we
witnessing a breakdown in the fabric of our communities? Do televised shows,
such as "Survivor", merely reflect this tension or do they promote
it? Were we soothed and addicted to the plastic rituals and unauthentic tribal counsel meetings because these false ceremonies and
perfunctory celebrations have replaced the sense of community which once
magically nourished and transformed our lives? The Romans were mesmerized by
the pomp, the majesty, and the cruelty of the gladiator games; it is more difficult
to see the dangers inherent in the survivor games, but part of our human spirit
is just as surely sacrificed.
5. One parent
asked the following question:
I have a three
year old son and I am just discovering the world of children's media. I have come to discover that the current
rating system for movies does not appear to
be adequate, in my opinion. I have mistakenly rented some G rated movies which were not appropriate for a
three year old. And in my opinion they
were too violent for older children as well. Do you know of any organizations advocating the ideas outlined in
your article. There once was an
organization, Action For Children's Television. However, I do not think it exists any longer. I would like to become more
involved in this very important issue. Thank you for your time,
Jeanie
Porterfield
Find out about
family friendly movies on film and television from the Dove
Foundation.
Another site
has rating systems for evaluating TVs and inventories to evaluate a families'
media us: National Institute on Media and the
Family.
6. How do I
protect my child's privacy on the Internet?
Check this link for online Safety Rules for young
kids.
Here is another good site:
Social Media Safety
Another
good site is: A Comprehensive Computer Safety
& Security Guide
Jessica Milly sent me this
site: A comprehensive guide to keeping
your child safe online.
Nancy Hopeck contacted me regarding an
idea from a group of children that she is mentoring at a local community
center, and the link below others excellent sites on internet safety
resources: https://www.whoishostingthis.com/resources/protect-kids-internet/
Here is a guide that is devoted to youth protection online: https://www.bestvpnrating.com/guide-children-privacy
Two grad students at the
University of Queensland working on degrees in distributed data systems have
put together this guide to global surveillance efforts and the proper online
privacy tools to combat it. https://privacyaustralia.net/privacy-tools/
Claire
Meyer published an updated guide to internet safety for non-techy parents who
are concerned about how to keep their kids safe when online. You can read the
guide here: https://giftedgeek.co.uk/keep-children-safe-online/
"Best VPN" is
another very good safety guide for children:
https://www.bestvpn.com/guides/internet-safety/
Natallia Diatki sent me this article about
Internet security and safety https://www.hrank.com/internet-safety-complete-guide-part-
"Internet Safety Complete Guide" is
a guide in two parts (part 1, part 2) that covers a
range of online safety topics, kids and parents safety, specifically, online
threats, cybersecurity and useful tips among other things.
Megan and
Bob Thomas suggested these useful guides:
Digital Citizenship and Cyber Security
A Comprehensive Computer Safety & Security Guide
Amanda Brown, Editor of
Consumers Base, created a guide on E-safety which provides advice on how
parents can keep their kids safe from the digital threats and some tips for
kids to be more cautious when they are online. E-safety
Guide for Parents to Kids Keep Safe Online
Louise Smith found this helpful resource whilst
searching: https://tradesmenprices.co.uk/child-safety/
Saura Bala has two daughters, and she cares
about their internet safety. She found this helpful step-by-step
in-depth internet safety guide for parents and kids. https://vpn-review.com/internet-safety-guide
Here is a
guide to help parents keep their children safe on the internet:
https://www.vpnteacher.com/security/protect-children-online/
Fredrick
Robert created a useful infographic: Powerful Tips to Save Kids From Online World
Maria Flagg has a detailed
guide on Online Privacy An Essential Guide to Online Privacy in 2019
SiteLock's "How
to Stay Secure on Public Wifi" https://www.sitelock.com/blog/stay-secure-on-public-wifi/
“A Guide to Avoiding Identity Theft” focuses on protecting your identity online https://www.totallymoney.com/identity-theft-protection-guide/
This guide highlights what
are the dangers of a child's faces, cyberbullying, sexual predators, and
strategies in keeping your family safe online: https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/internet-safety-kids
Blake
Jones recommended this practical guide
to keeping teens safe online: “The Parents’ Guide to Teaching your Teen Online
Safety” https://www.mytutor.co.uk/blog/the-parents-guide-to-teaching-your-teen-online-safety/
Meg from the Lyndhurst STEM club for Girls in Vermont, found
this useful guide that covers everything from online safety to cyberbullying
and digital footprints and reputation. https://www.smartadvocate.com/News/Blog/a-guide-to-digital-citizenship-and-cyber-laws-1
Online MSW Programs has published "Cyberbullying: A Resource for School Social
Workers," an in-depth resource that explains the harmful psychological,
emotional, and social effects of cyberbullying
https://www.onlinemswprograms.com/resources/social-issues/cyberbullying/
Sarah
Bass thought these guides would make welcomed additions to this site: Online
Website and Social Media Safety for All Ages
https://www.iwdagency.com/blogs/news/online-website-and-social-media-safety-for-all-ages
A Guide to
Digital Citizenship and Cyber-Laws
https://www.smartadvocate.com/News/Blog/a-guide-to-digital-citizenship-and-cyber-laws-1
Understanding
Screen Addiction and Responsible Digital Use offers lots of valuable information including the impact of COVID-19 on screen time use: https://www.comparethemarket.com/broadband/content/screen-usage-guide/
Other useful
resources:
The Definitive Guide to
Internet Privacy & Online Security
https://tradesmenprices.co.uk/child-safety/
https://cooltechzone.com/internet-safety-guide
Gaurav
Bidasaria’s blog on Video chat apps is excellent: https://techwiser.com/best-kid-friendly-video-chat-app/
This guide
covers everything related to cyberbullying and bullying prevention: https://www.yourlawyer.com/library/guide-to-cyberbullying-laws/
A complete and updated guide for
parents called Internet
Safety for Kids: The Definitive Guide [2022] covers topics such as: the top
online safety threats for kids, how to protect kids from cyberbullying, and
using social media safely.
7.
The most frequently asked questions concern issues of media and violence. Sites
in the next section might be checked out for some interesting sources of
information of this topic.
Check out this
site for the effects of anger when viewing
violence television programming.
Information on
an innovative anti-violence project can be found at this site.
Even MTV gets
into the act in this site about educating youth about violence
prevention.
The Center for
Media Literacy is another good resource for a better
understanding the effects of the mass media on youth and families.
GetNetWise is another great site for kids and gives
online safety guide.
Find out about
family friendly movies on film and television from the Dove Foundation.
Here is an Internet safety tip that has some info about how you
can adjust the built in safety settings on Windows devices. I know a lot of
people struggle with Windows 10 so hopefully it will be helpful: Keep Your Kids Safe Online.
Fredrick Robert created a useful infographic on Powerful
Tips to Save Kids From Online World.
Here is a
new website dedicated to helping people protect their data online and keep
their computer secure: https://www.vpnteacher.com/security/protect-children-online/
Steve McRae sent me: Life-Changing
Ways to Keep Kids Safe from the Dangers of the Digital World
Here is another good
resource: https://tradesmenprices.co.uk/child-safety/
8. Gaming
Addiction
Alison Bowen,
of the Chicago Tribune wrote this article titled: “Are your kids addicted to
video games? Here's what to look for.” She interviewed me for this article
located at this url and reprinted below: https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-life-video-game-addiction-20180619-story.html
Alison Bowen
from the Chicago Tribune (June 19, 2018)
If your kids
are spending their summer days playing Fortnite, you might be wondering what to
make of the recent World Health Organization announcement, which designated
compulsive video gaming as a mental health condition. Calling it “gaming
disorder,” the organization noted that classifying it separately will help
identify risks and prepare care.
WHO said the
disorder is characterized by prioritizing gaming over other activities and
escalating gaming despite negative consequences. For it to be diagnosed, the
behavior must significantly impair life aspects like family, social or
educational areas for at least 12 months.
Dr. Leonard
Jason, a psychology professor at DePaul University who has studied adolescent
addiction and gaming, said he was encouraged by the decision, which he hopes
will spur conversations between parents and kids and heighten awareness.
But Jason
cautioned that a child with gaming disorder would be an extreme case. WHO
estimates less than 3 percent of all gamers are believed to have this.
This interview
has been condensed and edited.
What are your
thoughts on WHO’s announcement?
This is a
relatively new area. The gaming disorder stuff is more new. I think that the
big issue for me is the violence that occurs on these games, and what does that
mean? You expose young people to games that involve killings. Some of these
games have really not been too friendly to women or girls, so I get concerned
about the introduction of that. So what does that mean for parents? We’re
talking about exposure to some pretty violent stuff, in an era where we have a
lot of violence in our communities.
The key thing
is if a child tends to be predisposed toward being a little bit more aggressive
and violent, they tend to like to watch these kinds of things more, and
watching these things more and participating in them more can in a sense
reinforce those initial tendencies.
What are signs
of gaming disorder?
Maybe it’s 1
to 3 percent that have a gaming disorder. And those are the extreme ones, and
those are the ones who, they’re basically doing gaming over other things in
their life and it escalates. It basically gets them into trouble. So that’s
something that parents probably can pick up. For example, the kid comes home
from school or doesn’t even go to school, games from school into the evenings
and on weekends. A child is basically spending all their leisure time not
socializing with others, not doing their homework, not doing their chores, but
gaming.
I think the
harder ones are the kids who are doing a lot of gaming and other video-type
stuff on the internet, such as that they’re being exposed to lots of damaging
images. Most kids can endure this, and basically it’s not going to have serious
mental health consequences.
How is gaming
addiction similar to other addictions?
What happens
is you want increasing amounts. Usually with drug addiction, you need to have
more of the drug. Same thing here. If you’re continuing increasing it, that’s
not a good sign. The other issue is if you stop it, just like heroin, if you
stop opiates, you’re going to have some pretty strong withdrawal effects. If a
child doesn’t have a chance to do their gaming for six hours and they go into
some type of behavior patterns that are problematic, or withdrawal, that’s a
real sign that this is a problem.
What can
parents do if they feel their child is spending too much time playing video
games?
Childhood is
not to be spent in a darkened room playing with a video game or on multiple
devices. Childhood is about making friends, being outside and doing things that
are involved in enriching your life. If a child is basically cutting out the
types of things that they should be involved in — homework, for example, having
friends, socializing, learning what it’s like to basically get involved in
activities — if they’re not doing that and they’re spending all their time
gaming, that’s a problem.
Parents should
monitor their children. Parents have to find out what their children are doing.
If it’s too
much, try to distract a child and get the child interested in other things.
Talk to the children. Just like when a child reads a book, you want to be able
to talk to a child about what they’re learning, same thing with gaming.
There might be
a young child who’s doing gaming that basically is having a real scare about
something they participated in. The parent needs to know that. If the child’s
having nightmares, appetite issues, these are all warning signs. (A parent can
ask): “How was your day? What type of gaming are you doing? How do you feel
about it? What are you getting out of it?” Those type of open-ended questions
are great.
If those
things don’t work, then you might actually want to try to bring a professional
to help you — social worker, psychologist, school psychologist. Intervene early
and intervene decisively, because it’s not something that’s unimportant.
abowen@chicagotrtibune.com
Twitter
@byalisonbowen
Joseph Cotler
sent me this thoughtful note on this topic:
Though PC,
Console, and Arcade games have existed for over 30 years, these fears have only
recently manifested in problematic behavior with advent of mobile gaming, and
specifically, freemium gaming (the business model of a plurality mobile apps
downloaded to smart phones and tablets). Mobile freemium gaming is modeled
after patterns of gambling behavior and psychological manipulations utilized by
casinos and other businesses who rely on addictive behavior for substantial
revenue. While the apps are free to download, in-app purchases ranging from as
little $0.99 to over $500 in some instances, is how modern gaming companies
earn revenue. For this to function properly, they offer in-game rewards and
tokens, often after musical sounds and flashing lights are presented
(reminiscent of slot machines), to instill a sense of progress and winning
among the player. In these games, fake tokens can often be bought for actual
currency. This adds a layer of disconnect between the player and their spending
habits. It is easier to spend fake currency than it is real currency,
therefore, this incentivizes players to spend more money than of that which
they are conscious. While stories such as this
(https://kotaku.com/15-year-old-kid-spends-37-000-euros-on-gold-in-free-to-1642091831),
in which children are capable of spending thousands of dollars without
recognition, have been curbed due to legal intervention. There are still other
ways in which developers are using similar systems to generate new revenue.
Some of these systems are proliferating to more advanced video games thought to
be free of such economic opportunism
(https://theintercept.com/2017/12/08/video-games-loot-boxes-gambling-gaming-star-wars-battlefront-2/).
At the moment, while playing video games can be detrimental to a small portion
of the population, the underlying issue is going to be the economics
surrounding gaming’s new business model.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Published Book:
Jason, L.A.
& Hanaway, L.K. (1997). Remote control: A sensible approach to kids, TV,
and the new electronic media.
Summary:
As an individual
deeply concerned about the changing nature of childhood, Dr. Leonard A. Jason
brings his expertise to Remote Control: A Sensible Approach to Kids, TV, and
the New Electronic Media. Designed for parents, educators, and other concerned
individuals, the book seeks to help families understand and, if necessary,
reduce the role that television, video, and computer activities play in the
lives of children.
Remote Control comes at a time when childhood in
As television and computer technology assume a growing presence in the daily
lives of children, the need for objective, up-to-date information about this
trend becomes evident. Remote Control offers a balanced, non-biased appraisal
of the current research in the field of television viewing and computer
activities. Specific topics include: violence, sex, stereotyping and
commercialism on television and in video game content; passive versus active
viewing; children's comprehension of television; children's attraction to
television; and the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional risks of
excessive viewing.
Importantly, Remote Control is not one long litany of television's evils. In
fact, the entire second half of the book is dedicated to teaching families how
to better manage television in their lives. Though Dr. Jason's area of
expertise involves reducing children's viewing through behavior modification
techniques, we realize that different families have different needs. To that
end, we have detailed a broad range of mediation strategies ranging from simple
family rules to the use of high-tech computers that tally kids' hours in front
of the TV set. The book concludes with a chapter on how to live both with and
without television. Readers will learn how to maximize television's positive
potential and how to maximize their own lives when the TV is off. To help
families get started with new endeavors, we end the book with a list of 101 fun
and simple things families can do together.
At the heart of Remote Control is the belief that kids need more opportunities
to simply be kids. Television is not all bad, but childhood is too short and
fleeting to be spent solely learning its charms. There are trees to climb,
friends to meet, books to read, and a world to explore. Reducing the role of
television in their lives frees the time for these simple, yet somehow
essential pursuits.
Our work has focused on evaluating several
products, and our findings appear in the following book. Jason,
About the Authors of this Book
Dr. Leonard Jason has written and edited ten
books in the field of psychology, has contributed over 40 chapters in psychological
books, and has published over 700 articles in professional journals. He is a
current or past member of the editorial boards of eight psychological journals.
Past president of the Division of Community Psychology of the American
Psychological Association, Dr. Jason has received several media awards from the
organization.
As an expert on psychological strategies for reducing television and media
viewing in children, Dr. Jason has served as a well-respected source for the
media. He has been interviewed by a many national magazines, including:
Psychology Today, Parenting Magazine, Woman's Day, New Woman, Scholastic
Choices, Reader's Digest, Woman's World, and Ladies' Home Journal. In addition,
he is frequently interviewed for articles appearing in a variety of newspapers
and wire services, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, United
Press International, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, and the Chicago Sun Times.
Elizabeth
Kennedy Hanaway has a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications and has an
M.A. in History. She works as a free-lance writer.
Below are
articles written or co-written by Leonard A. Jason on the media, policy, and
television and internet viewing:
Jason, L.A. & Klich, M. (1982). Use of feedback in
reducing television watching. Psychological
Reports, 51, 812-814. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1982.51.3.812
Jason, L. A.
(1983). Self-monitoring in reducing children's excessive television
viewing. Psychological Reports, 53,
1280.
Jason, L.A.
& Rooney-Rebeck, P. (1984). Reducing
excessive television viewing. Child and
Family Behavior Therapy, 6, 61-69.
Jason, L. A.
(1984). Reducing excessive television viewing among seven children in one
family. The Behavior Therapist, 7,
3-4. https://doi.org/10.1300/J019v06n02_05
Jason,
Jason,
Sarlo,
G., Jason, L.A. & Lonak, C. (1988). Parent
strategies for limiting children's television watching. Psychological Reports, 63, 435-438.
Jason,
Jason, L.A. & Johnson, S.Z. (1995). Reducing excessive
television viewing while increasing physical activity. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 17, 35-45.https://doi.org/10.1300/J019v17n02_03
Johnson, S.Z. & Jason,
Jason, L.A. (1997). Community
building: Values for a sustainable future.
Westport, CT: Praeger.
Jason,
Jason,
Jason,
Jason, L.A. & O'Donnell, Jr. W. T. (2008). Behavioral
interventions to reduce youth exposure to unhealthful media. In J.A. Trafton
& W. P.Gordon (Eds.). Best practices for
behavioral management of chronic disease. Volume 3. (pp. 454-479).
Institute for Disease Management, Menlo Park, CA.
Jason, L. A. & Barach,
I. M. (April 1, 2009). Kids and the media: what we know and what we need to
learn [Review of the book The Handbook of Children, Media, and Development].
PsycCRITIQUES-Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of
Books, 54 (No. 13), Article 8.
Clyne, E., & Jason, L.A. (2011). Reducing
children’s media viewing. Case Reports in Psychiatry, Article ID 287243.
https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/28724
Adams,
M.L., Jason, L.A., Pokorny, S., & Hunt, Y. (2013). Exploration of the link
between tobacco retailers in school neighborhoods and student smoking. Journal of School Health, 83, 112-118.
https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12006 PMCID: PMC3556821
Jason, L.A. (2013). Principles
of Social Change. New York: Oxford University Press.
Maton, K.I.,
Humphreys, K., Jason, LA., & Shinn, B. (2017). Community psychology in the
policy arena. In C. M. Bond, Keys, C., & I. Serrano-Garcia (Eds.). Handbook of Community Psychology.
Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Using Earn TV
For over 20 years, I developed and evaluated
devices to help parents regain control of their children's TV viewing. My first
inventions involved a token actuated meter. Children earned tokens for homework
or good behavior, and the token could then be inserted into a meter, and the
meter allowed the child to watch TV for 30 minutes. Parents liked this device,
and the children were able to reduce TV viewing and increase other activities.
I have then decided to automate this system to make it even easier to use. My
most recent invention, called Earn TV, is described below.
If there are several television sets in the
house, parents might connect an Earn TV to each set. Earn TV could also be connected
to computers if a child is spending too much time interacting on the internet
as opposed to interacting and playing directly with other children. If a
child's television viewing is restricted to only one TV set, then only one Earn
TV is needed. The child needs to earn time by doing one of a variety of
activities before being able to watch TV. There are three ways the Earn TV
device can be used. Parents can put a certain amount of time in the device each
day as a reward for doing all chores. Parents can reward their children by
giving them paper tokens, and the tokens can be later exchanged for TV viewing
(i.e., the parent would accept the paper token, and put a certain amount of TV
viewing in the Earn TV). Finally, a timer can be placed around the child's
wrist or leg. When the child engages in activities (e.g., rides a bike), time
is earned, which can later be placed into the Earn TV meter in order to turn
the TV on for periods of time.
Once the Earn TV meter has been connected to
the TV set, children can be told how to play the Earn TV game. They will now
need to wear the timer during certain designated activities. It is also
important to be very precise in explaining what types of activities earn
television viewing. As examples, a child might be able to earn time for any of
the following activities: homework, extracurricular reading, chores, games,
sports, playing musical instruments, playing with friends, etc. Some activities
do not expend actual movements, so when these activities are engaged in, the
timer is not being activated. So, if a parent wants the child to read for an
hour, and then be able to watch TV for a half hour, the parent just gives the
child a paper token and this can later be used to earn a half hour of time.
Also, if a child is sick, and the parent wants the child to be able to watch TV
without exercising, time can be just inserted into the Earn TV meter.
Changes in viewing television are seen very quickly.
With children having to earn the right to watch, they begin to try out new
activities. In one or two weeks, dramatic changes in the children's TV viewing
are evident. We generally find that after about 4-6 weeks, the children have
shifted their interests into more productive activities. At this time the Earn
TV can be removed, however, if excessive viewing does return, the children are
informed that the Earn TV will be re-established.
I
published an article in Child & Family Behavior Therapy,
entitled "Reducing excessive television viewing while increasing physical
activity." In this study, a 9-year old male was provided the
opportunity to watch TV contingent on exercising on a bicycle. During the
pre-intervention period, the child spent an average of 3.9 hours each day
watching TV and 2.5 hours playing Nintendo. At a five month follow-up, after
using our program described above, the child's TV viewing was 1.8 hours daily,
with no time spent with the Nintendo. Although no weight measurements were
recorded, the mother reported to the investigators that her child had lost
weight, and that he had previously been overweight. A second study with this
device was published in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental
Psychiatry, entitled "Case study: Reducing TV viewing and
corresponding increases in physical activity and subsequent weight loss."
Devices
There are several devices to block out
objectionable material on the internet (see products below). Software however
is no substitute for parental guidance. There are millions of web
sites and many have not been rated by the Recreational Software Advisory
Council or Safe Surf.
Token TV- This device allows parents to
control their children's TV viewing. Kids either earn or are given tokens,
which turn on the TV for 30 minutes.
TV Allowance - A
computer that helps limit overall time TV is on.
Family Safe Media - specializing in parental
control devices such as v-chips, internet filtering, and other technologies for
kid-safe media.
TVBlanket - TVBlanket is an
electronic device that automatically detects and blocks commercials while you
are watching.
Cyber Patrol -Cyber
Patrol can block out objectionable material on the internet.
Cybersitter - Cybersitter can be reached at this site.
Kidoodle TV – a safe streaming platform for kids
Sling TV – A streaming service that has mostly
kids channels as well as a parental controlstab
Conclusion
Although there are thousands of studies
investigating the effects of media watching on children, there has been little
work devoted to what can be done to help children reduce their media viewing.
TV locks and computers to limit TV and media viewing are beneficial, but they
do not specifically encourage new behaviors. In addition to limiting certain
types of programs, there is a need to reduce the overall amount of media
viewing and to encourage other behaviors. There is a need for new products that
can both reduce media viewing and help children develop new activities like
exercising.
My
Address and Further Information
My email address is Ljason@depaul.edu, and my
telephone number is 773-325-2018. I am the Director of the Center for Community
Research at