A conference was held with former technology industry leaders calling for immediate measures to protect children from smartphone addiction.
Among those major changes is Tristan Harris—a former high-level employee at Google. He just organized a group that will seek to gather and publish evidence of how digital devices and social media can harm children and young people. Harris says he believes companies like Google, Facebook and Apple have a “moral responsibility” not to create technology products that can “hijack how the mind works”.
The conference where Harris spoke was supported by Common Sense Media, a child and family activist group. The organization says research suggests that half of all teenagers feel addicted to their mobile devices, while about 60 percent of parents believe their kids are addicted.
The group also mentions a recent study of eighth-graders that found heavy users of technology were 56 percent more likely to say they are unhappy, while 27 percent more likely to be depressed. Even Facebook spoke of research last year suggesting that social media use can harm mental health when used in certain ways.
James Steyer is the founder of Common Sense. He says more than half of schools in the US are already members of the organization. The group provides teachers and parents with learning materials intended to help students develop critical thinking skills and balance their digital lives.
Some US schools, however, have tried to limit or remove technology to improve learning. One of them is in Silicon Valley, the center of the American tech industry.
The Waldorf School of the Peninsula does not use any computers or digital technology in its education programs up to the seventh grade. The school’s website says while Waldorf teachers recognize the role technology can play in the classroom, it must wait until the student reaches the right developmental age. Normally when students reach high school, they are allowed to use computers and digital tools in the classroom.
8. What is Facebook, Google and Apple’s “moral responsibility” according to Tristan Harris?
A.Preventing children from chatting on social media. |
B.Stopping making products that do harm to young people. |
C.Providing parents with materials to help their children. |
D.Finding a way to get children away from addiction. |
9. What do we know from the last two paragraphs?
A.Waldorf School bans technology from its education programs. |
B.Waldorf School doesn’t believe that computers can improve learning. |
C.Waldorf School pays much attention to improving learning. |
D.Waldorf School limits the use of digital tools in its classrooms. |
10. What is the text mainly about?
A.Computer Companies Should Live up to Their Moral Responsibility. |
B.Digital Addiction Does Harm to Children’s Mental Health. |
C.Waldorf School Doesn’t Use Digital Tools in its Education Program. |
D.A Conference Calls for Actions to Protect Children from Digital Addiction. |