Springer, D. et al.
A new report suggests that, although limiting the use of phones and computers among young children may be beneficial in many ways, it also leaves them dangerously oblivious of the most recent celebrity cancellations.
The study, published in Scientific American, points out that children under the age of 10 who were limited to 1-2 hours of screen time a week were far less likely to be aware of Scarlett Johansson’s recent comments about how she should be able to play whoever she wants regardless of political correctness than other children. They also lack awareness of Azealia Banks’s countless outrageous tweets, and are often ignorant of which random controversial journalist got “ratioed” on Twitter.
“Children with drastically reduced screen time are often unable to keep up with their classmates’ discussions of which new SNL cast members wrote racist tweets six years ago,” lamented the report’s author, Dr. Tara Shewfelt [1]. “They also run the risk of continuing to support artists who express views that are neoliberal, white-feminist, or non-intersectional in nature, which will likely lead to them falling victim to bullies on the playground.”
Dr. Shewfelt suggests that if parents insist on limiting their kids’ use of phones and laptop, they should at least allow them access to Jezebel, Splinter, or Lena Dunham parody Twitter accounts.
