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The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds

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Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds

#311

Post by steev »

noobermin wrote: post #297
andrei_says_ wrote: post #294

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A mom I know collects her kids’ smartphones at 6pm. I know because I once heard them in her bag. What I heard was incessant buzz which sounded very urgent to me. She said it was Snapchat notifications. The rate was over 20 notifications per minute. I can’t imagine what it would be like to try and keep up with something like this.

Dumb suggestion, but can't you control the number of notifications you get? I do this for instagram, facebook, etc...

I'm guessing the kids want the notifications and the mom doesn't want to go in and modify the setting in all the apps across all the phones (I sure wouldn't). I think an easier approach would be to simply put them into do not disturb mode.

Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds

#312

Post by irrational »

chasd00 wrote: post #249
irrational wrote: post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, there is no rule that you have to give your kids a smartphone. It won't screw them up no matter what those already addicted to their phones will tell you. Our rule is the kids can have a smart phone when they can buy it and a data plan on their own. So far our first didn't do that until she was 18. The second was a little earlier at 17, but she was heading off to college and really felt that she needed it. Our 16…

a buddy of mine has a good setup. His teens have phones, ipads, and the like but he has every charger. Inevitably they have to hand the device over for power and then he decides on when to hand it back.

I just checked Amazon and even for an apple device the charger and cable will be less than $10 (knock-off brand). Or, they could just use their friends' chargers. That is so easy to get around that I assume your friend's kids turn in their devices on occasion just so he doesn't wise up and put more onerous restrictions in place.

Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds

#313

Post by Dirlewanger »

rflrob wrote: post #44

I'm always a little skeptical of arguments that new technologies are actually damaging . I'm willing to accept that people are sometimes unhappy adjusting to new things (and that people are unhappy with how other people use their new technology), but people have been saying that [new technology here] is bad for thousands of years—Plato even complained about writing because it's "bad for memory"[1]. If you frame the q…

The Atlantic did an article a couple months ago on the harm that smartphones are doing to today's teenagers, and they provide plenty of graphs and studies to back it up.

I totally get your reticence to believe the FUD, but the Golden Age of Greece didn't have the scientific method and the means to conduct study after study demonstrating the negative effects of writing. We do for smartphones, and the evidence is overwhelming.

Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds

#314

Post by TheCoreh »

DamnInteresting wrote: post #191
alsetmusic wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Hey smartphone makers, if you're listening: Let me set an alternate PIN that unlocks the phone in a limited access mode, or "kid mode." Only pre-approved apps are available. Only pre-approved contacts can be called/texted. In-game purchases require the more secure PIN. Maybe when the phone is in this mode I can track its location easily, and make it emit a noise. The maximum volume is much lower than normal. A lock…

Is there a way to enable parental controls with an alternate phone unlock PIN? If so, then my comment is silly and I am silly. If not, then it stands. That's where the control belongs, so one can freely share a working PIN with one's kids, with no need to turn on a setting buried in menus (not to mention always remembering to do so).

Why would you _share_ a phone with your kids? Isn't the whole point of giving your kids a phone being able to call them or have them call you when an emergency arises?

Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds

#315

Post by dragonwriter »

Dirlewanger wrote: post #313
rflrob wrote: post #44

I'm always a little skeptical of arguments that new technologies are actually damaging . I'm willing to accept that people are sometimes unhappy adjusting to new things (and that people are unhappy with how other people use their new technology), but people have been saying that [new technology here] is bad for thousands of years—Plato even complained about writing because it's "bad for memory"[1]. If you frame the q…

The Atlantic did an article a couple months ago on the harm that smartphones are doing to today's teenagers, and they provide plenty of graphs and studies to back it up. I totally get your reticence to believe the FUD, but the Golden Age of Greece didn't have the scientific method and the means to conduct study after study demonstrating the negative effects of writing. We do for smartphones, and the evidence is overw…

> The Atlantic did an article a couple months ago on the harm that smartphones are doing to today's teenagers, and they provide plenty of graphs and studies to back it up.

The Atlantic piece is not without significant criticism for abusing the available data to draw unwarranted conclusions. See, e.g., https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/once-more-feeling/20170...

Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds

#316

Post by cableshaft »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #141
cableshaft wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had a TI Calculator in my pocket and I learned first learned how to program on it during classes from 7th grade on. I made all sorts of text-based games: rpgs, text-based tetris, action games, fighting games (which was basically just pick an attack and a different formula with random numbers would happen that said how much hp you hurt the opponent), etc. But 'smartphones' nowadays makes it difficult for you to crea…

Nowadays you can get much cheaper all-purpose computers though; if kids are tinkerers like you were, they will find a way, either on their smartphones or on a raspberry pi or whatever. And if they don't - accept it, they're not you, and they'll probably end up better off than you did.

The portability was a big factor in it. As a kid, you're forced to be in all sorts of places you'd rather not or are totally boring because your school or parents require it of you.

I'd code in the car, at the grocery store, at family gatherings, while my parents discussed serious business (taxes, attorneys, etc), while sitting in waiting rooms, during boring classes at school (because school catered to the lowest common denominator and teachers would have to re-explain things about fifty times) etc and I would spend about half of the time on my calculator and the other half on my Game Boy. Fairly often I'd just leave the Game Boy at home.

We also had a computer at home since I was 7, and I spent as much time as I could get away with on there (mostly writing and working on my personal website). But when that wasn't available, or my parents felt like limiting my screen time, back to coding on the calculator I'd go.

I still did plenty of other normal things, I didn't exclusively do this, but I did spend a lot of time on it, and I got into a Maker mindset when I was really young that still carries over to this day.

Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds

#317

Post by rdruxn »

ckosidows wrote: post #276
EADGBE wrote: post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. Throw the baby out with the bathwater; they said. I've deleted and re-installed Facebook countless times. It doesn't make me any holier, but having the choice of it there and choosing to go without seems like a stronger fight.

I've told this to a lot of people around me... unfollow everyone on Facebook. This does two things: 1. No more facebook feed 2. No more facebook ads You still get to keep messenger as an extended contact book, people can still tag you in stupid things and pictures, you don't have to have that awkward conversation telling people you're no longer on facebook. I guarantee you'll never feel like you miss your feed. Nobod…

Why not just get a browser extension to hide your newsfeed? Seems like a much simpler solution than unfollowing your entire friend list.

Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds

#318

Post by Flockster »

techman9 wrote: post #113
matchagaucho wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Banning smartphones because of distracting apps is equivalent to banning guitars because of heavy metal music. It's the content, not the tool. Schools should be teaching kids how to use these tools to create content; not just passively consume.

This to me smacks of fear and really some perverse form of protectionism. The whole idea of "schooling" is built upon the premise that there is some fundamental set of knowledge that it's important for students to master before they can function in the world. However, with the advent of computers, the internet, and their miniaturization in the form of smart phones, any piece of human knowledge is instantly retrievabl…

By that logic math homework must be super easy, since the content is easy to google (and already in the textbook)..

Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds

#319

Post by agumonkey »

r565656 wrote: post #283
agumonkey wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do think about amish lifestyle a lot. curing cancer is a worthy endeavor that is not on the same plane as most technology we spend time talking about (believe me I wish I could have saved some family members) experiencing machu picchu and coming back in a week .. feels pointless to me. time is required to experience things fully. there's a middle ground between risking your life on a boat for 6 months before reachi…

>The old agricultural system was too demanding it's true, but it's not removing it that makes life better. See how people eat shitty things, waste meat etc .. Also with proper education, one can go really far if he knows how to use energy, even without heavy industry behind. >It's a shifting plane, new ideas create new societies, they don't make the previous one better. Would you mind explaining this more? It sounds…

It's a bit of wild speculation but you don't need industry to save you time.

Solar concentrator (lens, mirror) can harvest large amount of energy.

Proper use of levers and gears can make you move tons with your fingers (although you need experience), see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5pZ7uR6v8c and the likes

You don't need to reproduce horse plow with an oil based engine.

Re: The growing body of evidence that digital distraction is damaging our minds

#320

Post by thinkling »

hbosch wrote: post #290
DamnInteresting wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I am terrified about giving smartphones to my kids. Hey smartphone makers, if you're listening: Let me set an alternate PIN that unlocks the phone in a limited access mode, or "kid mode." Only pre-approved apps are available. Only pre-approved contacts can be called/texted. In-game purchases require the more secure PIN. Maybe when the phone is in this mode I can track its location easily, and make it emit a noise.…

I do think the Fire Tablets have this feature.

Yes, Amazon FreeTime lets you set limits on the amount of time kids play games or watch videos. You can also require that they spend a minimum amount of time reading or using educational apps before they can get their games/videos.
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