The big buzz word these days is AI—Artificial Intelligence. In fact, I have met several high school and college students who say they want to pursue careers in AI. For this week’s TTT, I want to bring up the AI devices that many homes have or will get: Amazon’s Alexa and Echo, and Google Home.
These devices can be an incredible asset to some people. For instance, for those who have limitations with their vision, the device provides them valuable information. I know of several friends who are getting these for their aging parents to help them with tasks like playing music, making calls and finding information.
There are several concerns with such devices, particularly regarding very young people. Recently the toy company, Mattel, planned to release a baby monitor called, “Aristotle.” The idea was that it would form an emotional tie with a baby by doing things like singing and reading to the child.
A device like the Aristotle would give Mattel and other corporations around the clock access to the baby, and collect data which they would use to market to his/her parents. When the people at the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and the Story of Stuff Project heard about this device, they started a petition that amassed 20,000 signatures, and ultimately put a stop to Aristotle’s release. Mattel has decided to not bring the monitor to market, at least for now.
Another topic to consider is that communication with these devices can be a bit worrisome when toddlers and young kids are around. When adults yell out commands at such devices, it turns out toddlers start to do the same. How will this impact the way in which they act with other kids and adults?
As always, I recommend starting your TTT by saying something positive about technology.
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
The big buzz word these days is AI—Artificial Intelligence. In fact, I have met several high school and college students who say they want to pursue careers in AI. For this week’s TTT, I want to bring up the AI devices that many homes have or will get: Amazon’s Alexa and Echo, and Google Home.
These devices can be an incredible asset to some people. For instance, for those who have limitations with their vision, the device provides them valuable information. I know of several friends who are getting these for their aging parents to help them with tasks like playing music, making calls and finding information.
There are several concerns with such devices, particularly regarding very young people. Recently the toy company, Mattel, planned to release a baby monitor called, “Aristotle.” The idea was that it would form an emotional tie with a baby by doing things like singing and reading to the child.
A device like the Aristotle would give Mattel and other corporations around the clock access to the baby, and collect data which they would use to market to his/her parents. When the people at the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and the Story of Stuff Project heard about this device, they started a petition that amassed 20,000 signatures, and ultimately put a stop to Aristotle’s release. Mattel has decided to not bring the monitor to market, at least for now.
Another topic to consider is that communication with these devices can be a bit worrisome when toddlers and young kids are around. When adults yell out commands at such devices, it turns out toddlers start to do the same. How will this impact the way in which they act with other kids and adults?
As always, I recommend starting your TTT by saying something positive about technology.
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
I decided to re-visit this blog from the archives because our last podcast on how to have healthier parent-child conflicts was so popular, that I wanted to provide more help on this same topic. Here, I focus on the powerful parenting approach called the nurtured heart approach. Complimenting this blog, we posted a wonderful podcast episode from our archive that also examines this approach and provides many concrete action steps.
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The current surge in conversation and scrutiny concerning the impact of screen time on youth mental wellbeing, catalyzed by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt's media tour for his new book, "Anxious Generation," is truly fantastic. This increased dialogue is crucial for understanding screen time risks and determining the best ways to support our children's mental health. Let’s not let this attention for the need for solutions die down! In today’s blog, I weigh in on four key points Haidt makes to keep the momentum in full swing.
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Snapchat has some pitfalls. I talked to two young adults about things to be aware of when using the app, including exposure to illicit content, the pressure of Snap Scores, and ads for platforms like OnlyFans. I also offer advice on how to help your teen manage their Snapchat usage.
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
