How to Protect Your Children from Technology
In today’s world, the internet is
no longer just an activity our children engage in — it has become a continuous
state of existence.
Recent global statistics from 2024 reveal a shocking reality: teenagers now
spend an average of 4.8 hours per day on social media alone, while nearly half
report being online almost constantly.
These numbers are not mere data;
they are a warning sign — a generation is growing up under an unprecedented
digital siege. The dangers of technology for children go far beyond wasting
time; they pose serious threats to their psychological development, physical
health, and personal safety.
This article is not a call to
isolate our children from the world, but rather a deep dive into the facts —
supported by the latest global data — to understand the nature of these risks
and present a clear roadmap for protecting them in an era where the bedroom has
become the new, unmonitored digital frontier.
The Hidden Cost of Technology: Psychological and Physical Damage
Constant immersion in the digital
world imposes a heavy price on children’s well-being, a bill often invisible until the
harm becomes severe.
1.
Emotional Scars: Anxiety, Depression, and Addiction
Studies show a strong and direct
link between excessive social media use and rising rates of anxiety,
depression, and loneliness.
The picture-perfect, artificial lives portrayed on platforms like Instagram and
TikTok create a cycle of toxic social comparison, leaving children feeling
inadequate and dissatisfied with their real lives.
Even more alarming, one study
found that 48% of teens who spent five or more hours a day on electronic
devices had contemplated suicide.
These platforms are ingeniously designed to be addictive, creating a
deep-seated anxiety when disconnected and a chronic fear of missing out (FOMO).
2.
Physical Impact: A Generation Suffering from Sleeplessness and
Fatigue
The damage extends to the body as
well. Blue light emitted from screens disrupts natural sleep rhythms, leading
to sleep deprivation that harms academic performance and overall health. Long
hours of screen time replace physical activity, directly contributing to rising
obesity rates, poor posture, and vision problems — all issues that WHO has
warned against.
3.
Cognitive and Social Erosion
Constant notifications and
fast-paced, fragmented content, especially on apps like TikTok, shorten
attention spans, making it difficult for children to concentrate on
deep-thinking tasks such as reading or solving complex problems.
Reliance on digital interaction weakens their ability to develop real-world
social skills like reading body language, resolving conflicts, and cultivating
empathy. The result is a generation that is digitally connected yet emotionally
isolated.
When Internet Becomes a Crime Scene
Beyond health consequences, there
is a darker dimension: the digital space has become a fertile ground for crimes
directly targeting children.
The dangers of technology no longer stop at inappropriate content, they now
extend to real criminal threats.
1-
Cyberbullying: Aggression Without Limits
Cyberbullying is one
of the most widespread harms. One in six children reports being a victim, and
its danger lies in its continuous nature, there is no escape, not even at home.
The anonymity of the internet removes social restraints, pushing bullies toward
levels of cruelty and aggression they would never dare face-to-face.
2- The Spectrum of Sexual Exploitation: From
Grooming to Blackmail
This is the most dangerous
territory. Criminals use gaming platforms and social media to build
relationships with children to exploit them sexually, a process known as
grooming.
Sexual extortion (the
threat of publishing intimate images unless specific demands are met) has
become one of the fastest-growing cybercrimes, devastating teenagers’
psychological health.
Global estimates indicate that over 300 million children fall victim to online
sexual exploitation each year, a catastrophic figure demanding urgent action.
The Protection Plan: Building a Safe Digital Future
Addressing these risks requires a
multi-dimensional strategy, where parents serve as the first line of defense,
supported by community responsibility, tech companies, and policymakers.
For Parents and Educators
- Start with open dialogue:
Create a safe environment where your child feels comfortable discussing
negative online experiences without fear of punishment. Trust is more
powerful than surveillance.
- Set clear boundaries:
Agree on firm rules for screen use, such as no devices in bedrooms at
night or during family meals.
- Be a digital role model: You
cannot ask your child to put away their phone while you are glued to
yours. Your digital habits are the strongest lesson they learn.
- Promote digital literacy:
Teach them critical thinking, how to identify fake news, protect their
privacy, and what to do when facing an online threat.
A Call for Systemic Responsibility
Tech companies bear an ethical
responsibility to make their platforms safer through “safety by design,”
ensuring maximum privacy settings by default for children.
Governments, too, must enact and enforce strong laws to protect children from
cross-border cybercrimes.
The dangers of technology for
children are real and profound, but they are not inevitable.
The goal is not to demonize technology but to understand and tame it, to make it a tool for
building, not destruction.
Through open communication, clear
boundaries, and equipping our children with awareness and critical thinking, we
can transform the digital space from a minefield into a safe zone for learning,
growth, and creativity.
The responsibility lies with all
of us, and the time to act is now.
Also Read:
- 5 Dangers of the Digital World on Muslims
- Digital Threats to Marital Harmony
- Social Media: Are They Threatening Family and Community Relations?!
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Resources:
- Teens, Social Media and Technology 2024
- UNICEF: 90% of Saudi children use the Internet
- Impacts of technology on children’s health: a systematic review
- Child and Youth Safety Online
- More than 175,000 children go online for the first time every day, tapping into great opportunities, but facing grave risks
- ‘You can’t even face your own parents’, activist against cyberbullying tells Human Rights Council
- UNESCO urges more action to combat violence and bullying at school
- Online risks, child exploitation & grooming
- Study Estimates 1 in 12 Children Subjected to Online Sexual Exploitation or Abuse
- Over 300 million children a year are victims of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse
- The Reality of Electronic Bullying Phenomenon among the Secondary School Students in Fayoum Governorate, A Field Study (and Ways to Confront It)
- Technology and Its Impact on Children Mental Health
- Explanatory Report to the Convention on Cybercrime
- Aljazeera.net
