The negative effects of smartphones on children

In the community I grew up, especially in my home, we found all the trending news and entertainment in books, and by tuning to Tv3 channel.

I was in primary 5 when I had my first phone (it was a 90’s old Nokia phone mainly for calls and sms) from my dad, and that was because I earned a first-place in my end-of-term exams.

Technology has evolved, and times have changed today. Old fashion has eloped to pave the way for modernity. There is an enhanced improvement in technology, predominantly on phones and computers. Almost everyone wants an iPhone or a MacBook and more content is being created on the internet.

Technology or smartphones has positivities and negativities. Smartphones are good tools for learning, communication, and entertainment, among others. Good technological etiquette would however curtail certain negative impacts of smartphones.

The use of smartphones can hinder physical, mental, and social development in children. The internet is loaded with too much bad content such as pornography and cybersex addiction.

In a case study conducted by Vaillancourt and Bergeron (2018), entitled 'Self-Perceived Problematic Pornography Use: Beyond Individual Differences and Religiosity' was conducted to look at the effects of pornography on the self of a person who commits it.

The results of this study shows that pornography can cause extreme addiction in a person to the extent that it affects aspects of health such as lack of self-control, infertility, loss of respect, and dangerous sex (violence).

According to Reisman (2008), who is the president of the Institute for Media Education in Pennsylvania, for children and adolescents, pornography has a detrimental effect on the brain. The brain believes whatever is displayed and, this is what will happen to the minds of children and adolescents.

This is because pornography can cause the brain to be covered with a false picture of the reality of sex as follows: Health-based neurological observations about the instinctual brain-imprinted response to pornographic sights and sounds indicate that viewing pornography is a biologically significant event that overrides informed consent - and that is harmful to children's [moldable] 'plastic' brains because it compromises their grasp of reality and thus their mental and physical health, their well-being and their pursuit of happiness.

The use of a smartphone at a very tender age may cause poor academic performance, depression, and even social isolation. Using phones frequently can cause neck and back pain, vision troubles, unhealthy sleeping patterns, and tiredness.

All of these are a hindrance in developing a child in socialising and making new friends. It hinders the child from building good communication skills and developing a good future career. These days all we see are inappropriate content, very detrimental to the child's health, and safety.

Nonetheless, it is not bad for a child to be exposed to the internet or smartphones at an early stage in life. Parents and guardians should educate them on its usage and consequences for a healthy and happier life.