Dr. Andel
English 15
12 November 2015
Technological Influences
We have all seen that one child playing with a brand new iPhone and thought to ourselves “I never had that when I was young”. Technology is always changing and it is affecting the way children are growing up. Instead of seeing children with stuffed animals and blankets you now commonly see them holding some sort of technology whether it be a phone, game device, or music device. Most of these tools have readily available access to the internet. Technology is affecting the way children are taught, expose, access information, socialize, and entertain themselves.
Kids receive assignments and tests that are based in the class or online. These assignments and tests …show more content…
Unlike when most kids when outside and played ball in their free time children are becoming more influenced by technology to stay indoors and be online. Some children are likely to stay indoors and text, watch television, surf the web, and socialize on sites such as Facebook. “Fully 95% of all teens ages 12-17 are now online and 80% of those online teens are users of social media sites.” (Pew 2) A child that takes an unhealthy interest in these are more likely to develop unwanted social habits from lack of in-person interaction. Another problem with social media is cyberbullying. “Among social media users, 88% of teens have seen someone be mean or cruel to another person on a social network site. “ (Pew 3) “Because of their limited capacity for self-regulation and susceptibility to peer pressure, children and adolescents are at risk as they navigate and experiment with social media.” (McBride …show more content…
A big part of technology that is changing children is the entertainment. A large portion of children who spend time online are doing so to entertain themselves. The types of entertainment go from watching videos, to browsing the web, to playing games. In “Online Dangers: Keeping children and Adolescents Safe.” Whitaker, Jodi L., and Brad J. Bushman state,
The line between video games and online content has blurred in the past few years due to many games' inclusion of online content, including options to share personal data, interact with other players in online competitions, and immerse oneself in the worlds Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG). (Whitaker & Brad 1053)
These types of realities can construe a child’s reality and real life decision making. Like drugs these games and entertainment can become almost like an addition for an adolescent. If the individual receives more mental stimulation from this entertainment they will crave it more and more rather than seeking other opportunities such as