Kids and Media Exposure
Kids these days are ever more plugged in and ever more multitasking, according to a new report by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. As distilled in this Washington Post article, America’s children now pack 8 1/2 hours of media exposure into 6 1/2 hours of viewing time. Their media time is so overwhelming that Kaiser calls them “Generation M,” standing for Media in the Lives of Children.
More disheartening statistics: multi-tasking is up 10 percentage points in children 8-18, now at 26 percent. In 63 percent of homes a television is usually on during meals, and in 51 percent the television is on most of the time, regardless of whether anyone is watching it.
If there’s any hidden higlight, it’s that children who use more media are lowest on this “contentedness” scale devised by the study. Maybe that will inspire parents to keep their children more grounded.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
This new data poisoning tool lets artists fight back against generative AI
The tool, called Nightshade, messes up training data in ways that could cause serious damage to image-generating AI models.
Rogue superintelligence and merging with machines: Inside the mind of OpenAI’s chief scientist
An exclusive conversation with Ilya Sutskever on his fears for the future of AI and why they’ve made him change the focus of his life’s work.
Data analytics reveal real business value
Sophisticated analytics tools mine insights from data, optimizing operational processes across the enterprise.
The Biggest Questions: What is death?
New neuroscience is challenging our understanding of the dying process—bringing opportunities for the living.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.