TAMPA, Fla. — In March, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new bill into law banning Florida children under 14 from having their own social media accounts.
But children’s safety online has been a national concern for years.
“Children's brains are developing very rapidly in the first five years of life as well as through the 25th year of life,” said Kris Perry, Executive Director of Children and Screens.
Children and Screens is an online nonprofit that provides hands on tools to parents, caregivers, and educators to help children lead healthy lives in the digital world.
They also conduct research on how online activity impacts child development. Perry says the findings are clear.
“The more time children spend on screens, the more likely it is to disrupt their optimal development because it's replacing the other activities a child might be involved in that have to do with their physical development, such as being outside, being physically active,” explained Perry.
And the more your child spends online, the more addicted they can become.
“When you're on a device, it's designed to fire the reward center far more rapidly than it would if you weren't on the device. So, in other words, it creates kind of an addiction to the dopamine cycle,” said Perry.
Perry adds, kid’s self-esteem can also quickly become effected after hours of online scrolling.
“As children approach adolescence, and the brain becomes very sensitive to peer interaction, peer approval, there is a real vulnerability when it comes to some of the social media programs and their algorithms. And that makes children feel at times maybe, like they're comparing themselves more than they should for a normal, healthy development,” said Perry.
Related: Florida's DeSantis signs law banning social media for kids under 14
Perry worries kids seeking approval online often comes with unhealthy and unrealistic expectations, leaving many kids feeling insecure.
“It isn't enough to have 10 people like you, you have to have 100 people like you. You have to have 1,000 people like you,” explained Perry.
She continued “Pretty soon, the size of the universe that this young person's living in is so unlike real life, that it's hard for them to even understand or navigate it safely.”
So, the Institute of Digital Media and Child Development is using their research to offer tools to ensure a safer online environment.
“We're always looking for ways to help parents communicate with their kids as much as possible about how digital life and real life are not the same thing. And how important is to have balance and communicate with them frequently about that,” said Perry.
And since tech giants are not altering their algorithms or content right now, Perry says it’s up to parents to help modify how much their child is exposed to.
“Remember to keep communication channels open. So, if children discover something online, it's something they didn't expect you're open and willing to discuss it you're not punitive or upset with them. We all know that so much can happen. You don't know what's going to happen when you open your phone,” said Perry.
If you’re interested in getting more information on how to keep your child safe online. You can learn more about Children and Screens here.
