A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
The neurological dangers implicated in overusing our devices are well-established. From the incessant cognitive itching to allay novelty bias to a consistent uptick in distracted driving accidents and deaths to the circadian chaos of excessive blue light, our memory and attention are not the only skills being affected. While no long-term studies have traced these [...]
Owning your own smartphone or tablet is now the new normal for Australian children, new research released today shows. The latest Australian Child Health Poll has found that almost all Australian teenagers, two- thirds of primary school-aged children and one-third of pre-schoolers now own their own tablet or smartphone. As well as owning their own [...]
Earlier this week, Harvard University revealed that it had rescinded admissions offers to at least 10 students who shared offensive images within what they thought was a private Facebook group chat. The students posted memes and images that mocked minority groups, child abuse, sexual assault and the Holocaust, among other things. It is easy for [...]
Anyone raising a child today has likely fretted about screen time and wondered about the impact of devices on our kids. Does the technology affect their brains? Does it limit their social development? Could it harm them emotionally? Could it delay when they start talking? I had never thought about that last question until a [...]
Can you answer this question? Which of the following four activities is most popular with children - watching TV, going online, playing sport or reading books? According to Ofcom research carried out last year, ‘going online’ is the correct answer. But perhaps this comes as no surprise at all for many parents coming out of [...]
Australian researchers have contributed to a 7 nation study of the impacts of media violence on youth. The study, just published online in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, used the same research methodology in each of Australia, China, Croatia, Germany, Japan, Romania, and the US. It found that: violent media use was positively and [...]
Toddlers who spend time playing on smartphones and tablets seem to get slightly less sleep than those who do not, say researchers. The study in Scientific Reports suggests every hour spent using a touchscreen each day was linked to 15 minutes less sleep. However, those playing with touchscreens do develop their fine motor skills more [...]
Sleep deprivation is a growing problem in schools, with pupils struggling to concentrate in lessons due to lack of sleep, MPs have been told. Edward Timpson, minister for children and families, highlighted the issue while being questioned by MPs who are investigating the role of education in preventing mental health problems in children and young [...]
Weight loss can be a challenge no matter who you are. However, there’s an overwhelming amount of technology to help make it easier. But where to begin? A quick search for “weight loss apps” on a smartphone turns up hundreds of results. That’s a lot of information, and potentially, a lot of wasted money figuring [...]
Most parents know what it's like to have to drag their child kicking and screaming – sometimes literally – away from a screen. Almost 70 per cent of parents have seen tantrums after taking their child's device away, according to a new survey, while about 40 per cent said using technology made their children more [...]
