Limiting 'screen time' that children are exposed to: whose responsibility is it?

A girl plays on an Ipad at Franklin Early Learning School in Canberra

A girl plays on an Ipad at Franklin Early Learning School in Canberra Source: AAP

Two major Apple shareholders in the United States are calling on the company to develop software that limits how long children can use its devices. Experts in Australia say it could help curb addiction but warn the responsibility also rests with the parents.


Gen Z, also known as I-gen, is the generation growing up with technology at their fingertips. Hear some of what these Gen Z’s have to say about their dependence on smartphones.

"I'm on my phone 24/7 I'm not going to lie. 20 minutes without my phone and I feel deprived."

"I used my Ipad a lot. I just play games, watch Youtube.

"Pretty much all day, everyday yeah.

"Most of the time when you're like having a sleepover or something like that, everyone's on their phones and social media and snap chat and instagram and things like that."

But there are concerns this technology-saturated generation - and those that follow - are becoming too reliant on devices like smartphones and iPads.

Dr Joanne Orlando is a researcher in children and technology at Western Sydney University.

As part of a recent study, she's been going into Australian homes and studying families and their use of technology.

"I call it the digital cocoon: a family might all be in the lounge room together, the TV might even be on but everyone has their devices on. They might have their laptop, their phone, their tablet, so there is a lot less interaction or just those informal chats from parent to child, or child to child."

She says the main concern in households is the amount of time children are spending on digital devices.

"Overwhelmingly the term we hear is 'screen time.' It's a concern for parents with children of all ages from the time they are just a few months old through to teenagers, always on social media."

That concern has now extended to those profiting from the addiction.

Two major Apple investors are calling for the company to develop software that limits how long children can use their devices.

But will the tech giant listen? 

Dr Belinda Barnett is a Senior Lecturer in Media and Communications at Swinburne University.

She says it's not unusual for Apple to heed calls from its shareholders.

"They have actually made some changes when investors have called for changes before. You could argue that at first blush (first sight) this is asking Apple to restrict the time their users are actually at the iPad or at the iPhone. You could argue parents would feel more comfortable and safer giving their child an iPad if there were more comprehensive restrictions."

Some parents agree with the proposal.

"I think that's a great idea if you're sort of a bit slack yourself with monitoring it, which I admit to being."

Others aren't so sure.

"My kids are very limited on their screen time but I think setting it from the shop ... I think it that's a bit much."

Apple already offers some parental controls including restrictions on apps, data usage and location-sharing services.

But now the company is being urged to take steps to target addiction.

Dr Barnett says one way this could be executed is through what she calls a "single use" application.

"This is really call to change their operating system and the existing parental restrictions so it has more functionality and parents have more control. If a child is reading Harry Potter on an iPhone, maybe you could restrict incoming notifications or SMS to increase their concentration."

But WSU researcher Dr Orlando says ultimately, the onus also falls on parents.

"The responsibility can't just lie with the tech companies.  That's just not going to work. They need to be responsible but so do other important adult groups, for example parents, and the way they manage at home, they use technology to manage their children's behaviour, that kind of thing needs to be done." 

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