Technology Articles
Technology Articles
ARTICLE ONE
By: Nick Bilton, September 10, 2014, New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/11/fashion/steve-jobs-apple-was-a-low-tech-parent.html
When Steve Jobs was running Apple, he was known to call journalists to either pat them on
the back for a recent article or, more often than not, explain how they got it wrong. I was on
the receiving end of a few of those calls. But nothing shocked me more than something Mr.
Jobs said to me in late 2010 after he had finished chewing me out for something I had
written about an iPad shortcoming.
“So, your kids must love the iPad?” I asked Mr. Jobs, trying to change the subject. The company’s first
tablet was just hitting the shelves. “They haven’t used it,” he told me. “We limit how much technology our
kids use at home.”
I’m sure I responded with a gasp and dumbfounded silence. I had imagined the Jobs’s household was like
a nerd’s paradise: that the walls were giant touch screens, the dining table was made from tiles of iPads
and that iPods were handed out to guests like chocolates on a pillow.
Since then, I’ve met a number of technology chief executives and venture capitalists who say similar things:
they strictly limit their children’s screen time, often banning all gadgets on school nights, and allocating
ascetic time limits on weekends.
I was perplexed by this parenting style. After all, most parents seem to take the opposite approach, letting
their children bathe in the glow of tablets, smartphones and computers, day and night.
Yet these tech C.E.O.’s seem to know something that the rest of us don’t.
Chris Anderson, the former editor of Wired and now chief executive of 3D Robotics, a drone maker, has
instituted time limits and parental controls on every device in his home. “My kids accuse me and my wife of
being fascists and overly concerned about tech, and they say that none of their friends have the same
rules,” he said of his five children, 6 to 17. “That’s because we have seen the dangers of technology
firsthand. I’ve seen it in myself, I don’t want to see that happen to my kids.”
The dangers he is referring to include exposure to harmful content like pornography, bullying from other
kids, and perhaps worse of all, becoming addicted to their devices, just like their parents.
Alex Constantinople, the chief executive of the OutCast Agency, a tech-focused communications and
marketing firm, said her youngest son, who is 5, is never allowed to use gadgets during the week, and her
older children, 10 to 13, are allowed only 30 minutes a day on school nights.
Evan Williams, a founder of Blogger, Twitter and Medium, and his wife, Sara Williams, said that in lieu of
iPads, their two young boys have hundreds of books (yes, physical ones) that they can pick up and read
anytime.
So how do tech moms and dads determine the proper boundary for their children? In general, it is set by
age.
Children under 10 seem to be most susceptible to becoming addicted, so these parents draw the line at not
allowing any gadgets during the week. On weekends, there are limits of 30 minutes to two hours on iPad
and smartphone use. And 10- to 14-year-olds are allowed to use computers on school nights, but only for
homework.
“We have a strict no screen time during the week rule for our kids,” said Lesley Gold, founder and chief
executive of the SutherlandGold Group, a tech media relations and analytics company. “But you have to
make allowances as they get older and need a computer for school.”
Some parents also forbid teenagers from using social networks, except for services like Snapchat, which
deletes messages after they have been sent. This way they don’t have to worry about saying something
online that will haunt them later in life, one executive told me.
Although some non-tech parents I know give smartphones to children as young as 8, many who work in
tech wait until their child is 14. While these teenagers can make calls and text, they are not given a
data plan until 16. But there is one rule that is universal among the tech parents I polled.
“This is rule No. 1: There are no screens in the bedroom. Period. Ever,” Mr. Anderson said.
While some tech parents assign limits based on time, others are much stricter about what their children are
allowed to do with screens.
Ali Partovi, a founder of iLike and adviser to Facebook, Dropbox and Zappos, said there should be a strong
distinction between time spent “consuming,” like watching YouTube or playing video games, and time
spent “creating” on screens.
“Just as I wouldn’t dream of limiting how much time a kid can spend with her paintbrushes, or playing
her piano, or writing, I think it’s absurd to limit her time spent creating computer art, editing video, or
computer programming,” he said.
Others said that outright bans could backfire and create a digital monster.
Dick Costolo, chief executive of Twitter, told me he and his wife approved of unlimited gadget use as long
as their two teenage children were in the living room. They believe that too many time limits could have
adverse effects on their children.
“When I was at the University of Michigan, there was this guy who lived in the dorm next to me and he
had cases and cases of Coca-Cola and other sodas in his room,” Mr. Costolo said. “I later found out that it
was because his parents had never let him have soda when he was growing up. If you don’t let your kids
have some exposure to this stuff, what problems does it cause later?”
I never asked Mr. Jobs what his children did instead of using the gadgets he built, so I reached out to
Walter Isaacson, the author of “Steve Jobs,” who spent a lot of time at their home.
“Every evening Steve made a point of having dinner at the big long table in their kitchen, discussing books
and history and a variety of things,” he said. “No one ever pulled out an iPad or computer. The kids did
not seem addicted at all to devices.”
ARTICLE TWO
Kids and Technology: When to Limit It and How to keep screen
time in check for kids' health and development
By: Katherine Lee
It seems these days that kids are operating electronic devices such
as smartphones practically moments after being born. Just take a
look around any local playgroup or playground: You’ll be likely to
see kids as young as 2 or even younger clutching mom or dad’s
phone to play games or view videos. When it comes to
technology, kids are not only starting to use it at a younger age,
but are using it in more varied situations, both at home and at
school. Today, technology for kids is a source of learning and
entertainment, and in a pinch when parents have to get dinner
made or take a few minutes to answer emails, a terrific babysitter.
For school-age kids, technology can be a double-edged sword. There are countless benefits that can be
garnered from using technology: Computers can be used to do research, play online math games, and
improve language skills. Television (and DVDs) can offer educational programming such as documentaries
and other educational materials. And even videogames can encourage developmental skills such as hand-
eye coordination (and some motion-controlled active games on the Wii or Xbox with Kinect can promote
physical activity such as dancing). But all these electronic devices can also have some distinct
disadvantages as well. Here are some reasons why technology should be limited for kids and how to do it.
It may interfere with sleep. Getting enough sleep can be challenging enough for busy kids today
who often have homework and after-school activities crammed into their weekdays and
extracurricular activities and sports on weekends. Add to that numerous hours of TV watching --
which averages up to as much as 3 to 4 hours a day, according to the American Academy of Child
and Adolescent Psychiatry -- and you have a recipe for sleep-deprivation in kids. Moreover,
electronic stimulation, such as from watching TV or using the computer, has been shown to
interfere with sleep (both falling asleep and staying asleep).
It may cut into family time/person-to-person interaction. When we are using technology such as
computers, games, and TV, we are not interacting together. And given how difficult it can be for
families to find some good quality time to spend with each other, having technology cut into those
moments is something parents may want to prevent as much as possible. While it can be fun to
have a family movie night or play a videogame together, the fact is that screen time means less
face-to-face interaction time.
It may encourage short attention span. Studies have shown that too much screen time may be
associated with attention problems.
It may interfere with schoolwork. Children who watch a lot of TV are more likely to have lower
grades and read fewer books. And research has shown that cutting down kids' screen time may
improve kids' health and grades.
It may lead to less physical activity. More screen time has been associated with reduced physical
activity and higher risk of obesity in kids.
It may expose kids to too much advertising and inappropriate content. Many television shows and
commercials depict sexuality and violence as well as stereotypes and drug and alcohol use. Many
commercials also promote junk food and toys in powerful and alluring ways that are designed to
get kids to want these items.
It can be all too easy to simply turn on the TV or let them play a videogame when your kids say they are
bored. But there are many options when it comes to finding alternative forms of entertainment. Letting
kids use technology with limits can be achievable if you keep some of these key tips in mind.
Do not put a TV in your child’s room. Having a TV in the bedroom has been linked to a number of
problems including lower test scores, sleeping problems, and obesity.
Turn it off. When the kids are not watching a specific program, turn off the television. Keep it off
during mealtimes and especially when they are studying or doing homework.
Help your child choose a videogame or a show. The best way to know what your child is watching
or playing is by helping her pick out a show or a game. When picking out a new family movie or
game, read the reviews or previews, ask other parents, and above all, know your child and trust
your own instincts.
Limit her screen time. Whether it’s one hour of TV and videogames a day or a couple of hours a
week, limit the amount of time your child spends watching TV or playing videogames and stick to
that number.
Opt for alternatives to technology activities. Find great ways to spend family time together without
tech devices, such as by playing board games or reading good books.
From: http://childparenting.about.com/od/technologyentertainment/a/Kids-And-Technology-When-To-Limit-It-And-
How.htm
Name:
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1. Write down two quotes from the article “Steve Jobs was a Low-Tech Parent” that supports this claim:
Kids’ use of electronic devices should be monitored/controlled.
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2. Write down two quotes from the article “Kids and Technology: When to Limit and How” that supports this claim:
Kids’ use of electronic devices should be monitored/controlled.
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3. Let’s think about the other side of this issue. As a kid, what do you think are two BENEFITS to using technology?
(You can think about at school, at home, etc.) Write ONE sentence to state the benefit (what is it) and ONE
sentence to explain it (why is this a benefit?).
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Explanation: _____________________________________________________________________________________
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2. Benefit: _______________________________________________________________________________________
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4. If you are a parent one day, would you limit your child’s use of electronics? Provide evidence/give specific reasoning.
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5. Be honest. Do you feel you are addicted to your phone or other technology? If so, explain how this might
affect your life. Even beyond the classroom!
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