Nine Negative Effects of Technology

We’ve talked about the wonders technology can provide, so now it’s time to discuss the negative effects of the Internet on children caused by misuse. The overuse of technology and unsupervised access to the Internet may cause many negative effects on children's social skills, as well as their mental and physical development.

1. Lower Attention Span

Spending too much time using the most common technological devices such as computers, smartphones, and tablets can cause distraction and concentration difficulties. One of the negative effects of technology on children is that it may affect their academic success. As we mentioned at the very beginning, the reason for such problems is the extreme (unconscious) use of technology, not the technology itself. Misuse of technology can cause a lack of focus, short attention span, and learning disabilities in children. 

2. Minimized Social Interaction

Negative effects of the Internet on a child's social skills usually appear when the child plays too many games on a computer because they become disconnected from real life. The child, who doesn’t communicate, interact and share with his/her environment, will try to meet all these needs in a virtual environment. For example, children can see the level they have achieved in a game as a respectability element. These titles, which have no importance in real life, should be replaced by skills such as respect, love, sharing, and communication.

3. Increased Aggression

Children are more vulnerable to the content they come across, and can be exposed to frightening elements in videos, cartoons, or games they watch and play. Children who are not capable of perceiving the difference between the real and the imaginary can experience unfavorable situations such as fear of being alone, nightmares, and not being able to go to the toilet alone. Similarly, when they consume videos or games containing elements of violence, they can turn into angry children. 

4. Health Problems

The negative impacts of technology on children are not only limited to emotional and mental disorders. The subject also has a physical dimension. The following disadvantages of technology in child development may occur due to watching TV for a long time, using a computer or a tablet in the wrong sitting position, etc.:

• Vision problems

• Neck pain

• Distortion of the skeletal structure of the body

• Arm, hand, finger numbness

• Overstrain

We can also say that the physical development of a child who is immobilized through the use of technological devices, reduces the time that should be allocated to activities that support muscle development, such as walking, running, jumping, and playing physical games.

4. Reduced Sleep Quality

The harmful effects of technology on children's health are not limited to the above-mentioned effects. Children can suffer from sleeping disorders. The risk of developing an addiction is especially common among children. Having the right measures of Internet will prevent both lack of sleep (which has a tremendous negative effect on school, work, and all kinds of daily life routines), and developing a gaming addiction disorder.

5. Cyberbullying, Abuse and Security Risks

We have often talked about “overuse“. There are some hidden threats among the negative effects of technology on children that are not related to overuse. For example, Cyberbullying! Considering that the technologies that children are interested in can usually be linked to the Internet, we need to be aware of the external threats. In games and apps with online communication preferences, children can be exposed to bullying. They can be abused by malicious adults. Again, malicious adults can obtain personal information about the child or his family. 

6. Depression Risk

We know that there are bad aspects of the Internet other than the positive effects of technology on teenagers and children. One of the most common is depression risk. Because of technological improvements, unfortunately, children start to be less social and use social media more. If the necessary precautions aren’t taken, they can easily feel depressed and alone. The more they turn in on themselves, the more depression risk is surfaced. 

7. Obesity

Unless children use online sources in an appropriate way, they tend to be less active. When the time of staying still is increased, they come up against the obesity problem that lots of kids get into trouble with.

Obesity risk is one of the most important negative effects of the Internet on a child. Don’t forget the obesity problem is defined as a modern world disorder!

8. Lower Grades

We are all aware of the positive effects of the Internet on students but technological tools such as computers, tablets, or smartphones are used in an effective way, they can cause children to have lower grades in school. As we’ve mentioned before, when kids start to spend more time on screens, their attention span is decreased, they can feel depressed; hence, their success can be declined. Remember that increasing technology usage means the time spent on homework is diminished.

9. Emotional problems

When the kids start to spend more time online, they are at risk of having emotional and behavioral problems.

The overuse of technology can cause a delay in the emotional skills of your children. When you see it, even if you want to interfere, they can be aggressive or in a total shut-down. In these kinds of situations, you should get help from professionals.