Sunday, January 24, 2010

Online distractions

Profiles of Generation M(2)
Kaiser Foundation


It used to be that our parents would limit our TV viewing, shepherding us into a natural and healthy balance of work and play.

According to a new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation, with an excellent followup article in the NYT, kids, ages 8 to 18, are more wired to their phones and computers than ever before:
"And because they spend so much of that time 'media multitasking' (using more than one medium at a time), they actually manage to pack a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes (10:45) worth of media content into those 7½ hours."
This can't be healthy.

Parents are still needed to make a difference. Kids are better off when their parents limit their amount of media exposure and exercise a no-gadget-in-room policy, —kids with less distractions, have more time to work on their education.

News organizations can also help parents and schools make a difference, by also quickly recognizing that they have to play, parcel, phone, or video their presence for this new audience.

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