SOWC_2017_Summary_En_WEB_FINAL

26 UNICEF – THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2017
As these issues are debated and
studied, some basic truths seem to
be emerging. Rather than restricting
children’s digital media use, more attentive
and supportive mediation by parents and
educators holds the most promise for
enabling children to draw maximum benefit
and minimum risk from connectivity.
More attention should be given to the
content and activities of children’s digital
experiences – what they are doing online
and why – rather than strictly to how
much time they spend in front of screens.
Finally, future research and policy should
consider a child’s full life context – age,
gender, personality, life situation, social
and cultural environment and other factors –
to understand where to draw the line
between healthy and harmful use.
To improve children’s well-being, it is
important to take a holistic approach and
focus on other factors known to have a
stronger impact than screen time, such
as family functioning, social dynamics at
school and socio-economic conditions,
while also encouraging the moderate
use of digital tech‌nology.
Voices from The State of the
World’s Children 2017 workshops
“I got on bad terms with my mom for
spending too much time with digital
devices and not spending enough time
on school studies.”
GIRL, 13, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
“There have been so many devices
around since childhood and it is so easy
to get addicted.”
BOY, 15, JAPAN
“I am afraid of my school performance
being worse.”
GIRL, 16, THAILAND
“I think that the internet brought us closer
to those who are far away and pulled us
away from those who are close by….”
GIRL, 16, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF
THE CONGO
“My teacher was scared that I am not
going to do homework that she gave me
and then I am going to waste time online.”
BOY, 17, MALAYSIA