Kairi QuirinoCreating content specifically for children is an art form. Some shows are crafted purely for fun, like Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants, while others are designed to educate, such as Ludo Studio’s Bluey. These programs offer enjoyable experiences for both kids and the adults watching over them entertained. This was once seen as a ‘perk’ or ‘benefit’ to the boom in technology. However, with the explosion of online video content, this benefit has become a “necessity,” which may be affecting the way children’s brains develop.
Concerns about children’s internet habits aren’t new. Back in 2017, The Verge reported on a YouTube phenomenon dubbed “Elsagate,” where seemingly innocent videos contained disturbing content. Popular characters like Spider-Man, Elsa, and the Joker appeared in bizarre scenarios, often featuring scenes of needle stabbings, screaming, and thinly veiled inappropriate activities. This issue has grown in recent years alongside the rise of “iPad babies.”
As the term suggests, “iPad babies” are children who have been given access to portable devices from a very young age. This trend surged during the COVID-19 pandemic when families were confined indoors, and parents had to balance working from home with caring for newborns who craved constant attention. To cope, many parents turned to screens as a way to occupy their children, providing an immediate distraction that allowed them to focus on work.
With this shift, children’s content on the internet gained massive popularity, with channels like CoComelon amassing millions of views per video. However, when parents rely too heavily on technology for their children’s entertainment, they risk affecting their children’s brain development. In TIME’s article “How CoComelon Became a Children’s Entertainment Juggernaut,” Susan Linn, author of Consuming Kids, explains that everything on the web is designed to be addictive: “You’re setting up kids to start depending on screens for stimulation and soothing.”
This kind of dependency is becoming widely recognized among parents and those close to them. For instance, Vice’s Eloise Hendy recounts an experience from her article “iPad Kids Are Getting Out of Hand.” Hendy describes how her housemate’s goddaughter, seeing a butterfly outside, tried to zoom in on it—reflecting a perception that all glass functions as a screen. This behavior hints at a dystopian future where children blur the lines between digital and physical reality.
The next generation seems destined for screen addiction, but there are lessons to be learned. Parents might consider encouraging kids to play with physical items, like toys and shapes, which offer hands-on experiences. If an iPad or similar device is used, it should ideally be reserved for special situations, like road trips or long waits. This approach may help children grow up viewing screens as occasional tools rather than necessities.
Parenting is an uphill challenge, made even more complex by the digital age. As workplaces reopen post-pandemic, children are adjusting to having their parents less present, potentially making them more likely to seek screens as comfort. While it’s disheartening to imagine a generation glued to screens from birth, this reality could serve as motivation to correct course and raise a generation that’s better equipped to interact with the world beyond their screens.
Works Cited
Brandom, Russell, and Alex Castro. “Inside Elsagate, the conspiracy-fueled war on creepy YouTube kids videos.” The Verge, 8 December 2017, https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/8/16751206/elsagate-youtube-kids-creepy-conspiracy-theory. Accessed 2 April 2024.
Cadenas, Carlo, et al. “How CoComelon Became a Children’s Entertainment Juggernaut.” Time, 16 March 2022, https://time.com/6157797/cocomelon-success-children-entertainment/. Accessed 4 April 2024.
Hendy, Eloise. “iPad Kids Are Getting Out of Hand.” VICE, 21 November 2023, https://www.vice.com/en/article/93k8kv/ipad-kids-gen-alpha-childhood-development. Accessed 2 April 2024.