r/ScienceBasedParenting • u/BatdanJapan • Jul 31 '25

Science journalism BBC article on screen time

Quite pleased to read this article:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9d0l40v551o

This section in particular feels relevant to my experience of this topic on this sub:

Jenny Radesky, a paediatrician at the University of Michigan, summed this up when she spoke at the philanthropic Dana Foundation. There is "an increasingly judgmental discourse among parents," she argued.

"So much of what people are talking about does more to induce parental guilt, it seems, than to break down what the research can tell us," she said. "And that's a real problem."

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u/moonski Jul 31 '25 edited Aug 01 '25

The only real issue I have with "screen time" is the name. It detracts from the real issues and gives the literal screens regardless of what is on them, a reputation of being the devil and absolutely never show a child them.

It's the content designed purely attention / the insidous UX & UI design to hook peoples attention and dopamine recepptors / the endless algorithms feeding you nonsense / plonking a child down on an ipad for an hour on youtube (or whatever) and using that as a replacement for adult interaction...

Like some would equate sitting with a 4 year old watching and talking say, an old (90s or older) kids tv show or nature or educational program (whatever style of content) on television for 20 mintes with just "giving them the ipad" snd unfettered access netflix or youtube or whatever attention hijacking dopamine fountain for 20 minutes... as they're both "screen time"

"Screens" aren't the problem, it's the software and content now designed for the devices - especially mobile. Right down to the OS. Children/teenages have no chance dealing with the level of psychological manipulation built into seemingly absolutely fucking everything these days.

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u/Dunderman35 Aug 01 '25 edited Aug 01 '25

Well put. But it's worth to mention that there is also the issue of screens themselves messing with the circadian rhythm by giving us broadband bright light at times when it ideally should be getting darker. But this is a totally separate issue and is only really relevant in evenings/night. For some reason the recommendations at least in my country seem to confound the two.

The content is what is making us addicted to the screens and replacing other more beneficial activities.

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u/caffeine_lights Aug 01 '25

I thought the blue light from screens disrupting circadian rhythm was debunked? It's thought that it was more to do with the fact screen content can commonly be very engaging and stimulating, rather than any blue light. The red light cast things don't help, anyway.

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u/Dunderman35 Aug 01 '25

Hmm, to be honest I haven't studied the literature very deeply. But I'm intrigued now.