A recent report by Kaiser Family Foundation stated that young people devote an average of seven hours and 38 minutes to daily media use, or about 53 hours a week.
The Kaiser study found that in the last five years alone, the time 8- to 18-year-olds in America spend watching TV, playing video games, and using computers has risen by one hour and 17 minutes per day.
“[The] easy-to-access devices practically act as appendages,” the Kaiser report stated.
One factor that contributes to the increasing number of media use in tweens and teens is multitasking; they are able to listen to their music while on the computer or on the phone.
Although multitasking may help a number of people work on homework and chat online at the same time, the report states that these heavy media users tend to get lower grades than students who are rarely on the Internet.
The cell phone is slowly becoming a replacement for the computer which is another reason why the use of media is rising.
“The cell phone is small enough to travel everywhere with, but sophisticated enough to use Internet and even watch television on,” Arpine Galstyan (’12) said.
One mother interviewed for the report was Becky Kirsh. She has four children with three computers, TVs, and many video games. She limits her children to 2,500 texts and blocks any incoming messages from 7 to 9 p.m., which is “homework time,” and after 11 p.m as well.
Jonathan Choi (’12) is a 15-year-old student who is restricted from media usage due to his parents’ numerous rules.
Choi is not able to play any video games, whether it’s on a PS3 or a computer. His parents have also restricted him to use the computer only as a homework device, not a form of entertainment.
“I am not able to use the computer unless I need to type, print, or research; basically anything that has to do with homework,” Choi said.
Choi has also been restricted from texting privileges, claiming his parents did not get him a texting plan because it “restricts [him] from [his] studies.”
The Choi family does not even have a working television at home. None of their TVs have worked since the February 2009 Digital Conversion of all televisions.
“Studying is the most important thing in his life, [he doesn’t] have time for anything else,” mother Chang Choi said.
The study found that while limiting the use of daily media use is in fact helpful, only about 30 percent of parents actually impose any rules.
