How addicted are you to social media? A while ago, I decided to take Twitter off my phone, as I was spending far too long 'doom scrolling', and wanted to do something more productive with my time. On several occasions in the first few days of going cold turkey, I noticed I was involuntarily reaching for my phone to check notifications for an app that was no longer installed on my device.
With it being a new month, I'm resolving again to spend even less time on social media. I want to read more books, go for more walks to get my lamentable step average up a bit, and live more in the moment. It's one of the many reasons I love sitting in the cinema watching a film, as it forces me not to check my device for a good couple of hours. Sadly, it doesn't seem to stop some people, and I would certainly support a punitive fine system for those who can't stay off their phones at the pictures.
Over the weekend, the Sunday People wrote: "The US court ruling marks a turning point in how we treat young people's access to social media. Technology is changing at such a rapid rate that legislation will need to be updated constantly to keep pace with it".
Whilst a full social media ban for under-16s has been mooted, I'm unsure this is the answer. It feels a little draconian. The law does also feel like it struggles to keep up with the rapid pace technology is evolving. When I first joined Facebook, poking people was a popular pastime, whereas I think I'm the only person who knows it still exists. I don't watch an endless stream of short videos on TikTok, I don't use Instagram, and I rarely look at LinkedIn, as it feels like the place where life's braggarts congregate.
I wonder if the constant stream of 10-30 second videos that kids watch is harming their concentration span. It's certainly affecting pop music, as you rarely get a song with an introduction, or a duration over three minutes. A friend who still DJs at functions tells me he gets song requests, puts them on, and gets blank looks from the dancefloor until the hook kicks in, as that's the only part of the track that they know!
Infants with the highest screen time are less likely to be read to or go on trips outside, and parents are being advised by the government to limit screen time for kids under five to no more than an hour a day, under new guidance issued this week. Screen time for children under two should be avoided other than for shared activities encouraging interaction, families have been told.
The PM, Sir Keir Starmer, said: "Parenting in a digital world can feel relentless. Screens are everywhere, and the advice is often conflicting. I will always stand on the side of parents doing their best for their children". He also acknowledged some will oppose the advice.
I do think we should all set an example by limiting our own screen time, and am working harder myself to be more in the moment when spending time with friends and family. Smart devices light up like gambling slot machines in a Vegas casino, and although social media giants have issued lengthy statements denying that they make them deliberately addictive, ask yourself why they wouldn't want us to spend more time with our eyeballs on their product. When something is free, you're the product.
One thing I read was truly heartbreaking. According to early years charity Kindred Squared, more and more children are arriving at school without the basic skills needed to engage with learning. More than half of the teachers they surveyed said excessive screen time was a key factor in children not being ready for school, and they estimated that more than one in four children were attempting to tap or swipe books as if they were a phone or tablet.
We can all play our part in reducing this trend, whilst recognising that there is no putting the genie back in the bottle. WIth that, I'm off to my second gym session of the month. i've also committed to get myself a bit healthier again, as memories of a rapidly slimming me from 2022 (the Slimming World year!) keep popping up on my social media feed. Perhaps another good reason not to check it so often.. Wish me luck! I'll definitely need it.
Alex Cann's weekly blog - 9th January
