I wrote this essay for a course I am taking called: “The Social Implications of Computing”
The topic: “What do you think is the biggest social problem arising from the use of computers?”
Are Computers stealing away our family time?
The family is considered as the nucleus of society. Back in the early 1970s, computers were not very accessible. Only research institutions had computers; consequently, family activities such as: reading, bike riding, board games, playing outside with friends, visiting neighbours, and roller skating were very popular.
Several decades later, computers have proven to be pivotal in supporting financial and government institutions. They control power plants, medical treatment machines, aircrafts, and other devices. Nowadays, families have computers in their homes to enjoy the many benefits of these computers.
Nonetheless, I believe that computers are stealing our family time and having a direct effect on the way families interact and educate their children. As a result of the introduction of computers, a child wants to spend more time at home playing computer games or using social network sites, in which individuals can create profiles and link to “friends†within the site. Outdoor activities do not seem that attractive anymore, or, if they are, are less frequent.
Computer games can have positive effects on children such as: introducing children into information technology, enhancing their problem solving skills, and providing entertainment. However, the side effects are very concerning: addiction, social isolation, and aggressive behaviour are some of the negative effects of computer games.
Unfortunately this addiction is very expensive and can severely damage the family unit or individual. One example is Brandon Crisp, a fifteen year old Canadian boy. He left his home after he had a dispute with his parent over his obsessive gaming habits. A behaviour that seemed like an impulsive act to change his parents view on his gaming habits ended up tragically. Brandon was found dead three weeks after he left his home.
The effect of computer games on children is an issue that is not going to disappear any time soon. In fact in a study of over two thousand children between the ages of eight and eighteen at least eighty three percent of them have one or more video game players (Roberts, Foehr, Rideout).
We cannot let computer games have an impact on our family and children. To address this issue we need parents to: limit the playing time, make sure school and home assignments are done first, and most importantly be aware of the content of the game. After all, children do not have the money to buy the games. It is our responsibility to buy the appropriate game according to their age and also their nature.
On the other hand, children can also spend their time navigating through social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Social networking sites will be part of our children’s live for the years to come, since social relationships are not limited to face to face interaction.
In fact Ofcom, a telecommunication regulator from the United Kingdom, conducted a research study with more than three thousand children between the ages of eight and seventeen in which forty nine percent of them have an online profile on a social networking site(Waters).
How can an online profile impact your family and children? The internet gives anonymity to persons that might want to sexually exploit your children. According to a report focusing on crimes against children, funded by the United States Congress, one out of five regular users receives a sexual solicitation or approach in a period of one year(Finkelhor, Mitchell, Wolak).
But these social networking sites can also have a positive impact in children and adults, since we can keep a closer relation with friends or we can also find jobs through them. The key is to monitor the sites our children visit and to teach them how and when to use those sites. We also need to properly recognize when someone is trying to commit a violation or crime against a member of our family.
As in every aspect of life, there will always be the evil and the good part. For this reason, parents now have the challenge to educate their children in the way of balancing the time they spend using computers and the time they spend interacting with other family members and friends offline. Through communication, patience and teaching as example, parents can instil in their children family values that can shape their life.
But, being realistic, most families do not have an excellent level of communication between members; and computers make it worse. Will those times when all family members spend evenings together come back? Will talking about how the day went, or just going out and doing outdoor activities regain its popularity? These activities are still available; it is our responsibility to instil an interest in them in the future generations. The decision of not letting computers steal our families is up to us.
Bibliography
Roberts, Donald F., Foehr, Ulla G., and Rideout, Victoria. “Generation M: Media in the lives of 8-18 year oldsâ€. Kaiser Family Foundation. March 2005.
< http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/Generation-M-Media-in-the-Lives-of-8-18-Year-olds-Report.pdf>
Waters, Darren. “Children flock to social networksâ€. BBC News. 2 April 2008.
< http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7325019.stm >
Finkelhor, David. , Mitchell, Kimberly J., and Wolak, Janis. “A Report on the Nation’s Youthâ€. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. June 2000. < http://www.unh.edu/ccrc/pdf/jvq/CV38.pdf>