Digital Consumption: Why can't we 'Just Say No?'

Everybody’s doing it. Whether we are at work, in school or at home, most of us use it every day. And if we're not on it, our children are. The use of smartphones has sent technology seeping into so many facets of our daily lives in the last decade. But at what cost?

How often do we see couples out to dinner, each gazing lovingly - at their phones? How many times has a text interrupted an important meeting? Do you check your phone before saying ‘good morning’ to your family? Does each new gadget or ‘app’ send your child further away from family life?

Can we use technology without feeling as though it is using us? And how do we teach our children to become responsible lifelong learners in this digital age?

According to Pew Research Center, almost one-fifth of Americans say they are online “almost constantly.” In our corner of the world, readers of The Daniel Island News report we are all online as well...a lot.

“I have my phone with me at all times,” admits one reader, who completed a recent survey on the topic conducted by the paper. “It’s how I communicate. It’s my office, my calendar - it even counts my calories. It never leaves my side in case my children call.”

The latest statistics on digital consumption are staggering. At the start of 2017, over a third of the world’s population has been found to own a smartphone; an estimated total of almost 2.6 billion people (www.statista.com). The same data revealed that Facebook had 1.79 billion active users worldwide in the third quarter of 2016. More than 73 percent of Americans report going online on a daily basis. While an unprecedented 92 percent of teenagers in the U.S. say they use the Internet every day (pewresearch.org).

In the U.S., technology use begins at a very young age for most kids. Studies estimate that 97 percent of American children under the age of four regularly use mobile media devices. Most often children begin watching a screen before their first birthday (“Pediatrics” Journal, October 2015). Even more concerning, recent scientific evidence indicates that texting, gaming, and social media can be addictive, as they affect dopamine levels in the brain. Since dopamine is the chemical that is released when we engage in pleasurable activities, it is at the root of addiction to drugs, alcohol or gambling. In our society, we place age restrictions on these chemicals and gambling. However, we place electronic devices in the hands of American children every day.

While the sharp rise in telecommuting has made it easier for some parents to be at home, many local families say they experience side effects of the tech boom. One Daniel Island dad, who also took the Daniel Island News survey, says he sees a distinct change in his child, and by extension, their home life. “Between the computer, video games, and iPhone use, it is hard to keep our son off some kind of device,” he said. “While he plays (video) games with his friends, he spends very little time with us.”

This week, The Daniel Island News is launching a series to explore our digital diets. How often are we behind our devices? And what do we see when we pull back the curtain on our screen use? What are the marks of cyber addiction? In our efforts to create balanced lives, what strategies are working for local individuals, experts and families? In this issue, read about how three local families are tackling tech use in their own homes. Coming soon in The Daniel Island News • Cyber addiction: How do we know whentechnology use has become a problem? • Daniel Island family therapist Dr. Susan West weighs in on parenting in the digital age, as part of our Positively Parenting column. • Solutions: Managing our digital consumption to reclaim our quality of life.