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The Touchscreen Generation: 40 percent of kids under 2 years old have used a smartphone or tablet, study shows


Nearly 40 percent—or two in five—of children below two years old have used a smartphone or tablet, a new study has found.
 
The study by family advocacy organization Common Sense Media showed this was a big jump from the 10 percent in 2011, tech site Mashable reported.
 
But the study also showed that by age 8, 72 percent of children have used a smartphone, tablet or similar device.
 
"This is the true sign that the digital generation has arrived," it quoted Common Sense Media's founder and CEO Jim Steyer as saying.
 
"We're seeing a fundamental change in the way kids consume media. Kids that can't even talk will walk up to a TV screen and try to swipe it like an iPad or an iPhone," he added.
 
Citing data from the study, Mashable said the gadgets in the little ones' hands were used for games, viewing videos and other media-related purposes.
 
Also, the study showed a rapid adoption by young children of mobile devices.
 
In comparison, computer use among children under two grew from 4 to 10 percent from 2011 to 2013, while TV viewership among such children remained stable at 66 percent.
 
Viewership of DVD videos even declined from 52 percent in 2011 to 46 percent in 2013, the study added.
 
Ethical and valuable tech
 
But Steyer also said this study also shows companies must work to create "ethical and valuable" technology.
 
He said this includes making devices and apps that do not encourage addiction, are educational and respect the privacy of families.
 
"This trend is a big deal to the tech industry, and there's a profound impact on children and families. We've got to use these things wisely," he said.
 
Longer use
 
Mashable said the study also showed children are using smartphones and tablets for longer times, tripling from 2011.
 
In 2013, the study found children ages 0 to 8 spent about 15 minutes a day using mobile devices, way up from five minutes a day in 2011.
 
Pros and cons
 
But Steyer also said that while increased use of mobile devices can be educational, such gadgets could cause "developmental harm" if they are overused - or worse, used as "virtual babysitters."
 
While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents should bar all screen time for children under 2, including mobile devices, Steyer said tablets and smartphones can be educational if used responsibly - and if time and content are monitored.
 
"We need to make screen time learning time. Technology used wisely is an essential element to education," he said. — TJD, GMA News
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