Streaming Addiction: Caution about Watching Too Much Streaming

With the advent of modern technology, various sources of entertainment have been invented for both adults and children. The evolution of the smartphone coupled with the launch of streaming platforms like YouTube has enabled us to watch our favorite movies, shows, and TV shows anytime, anywhere.

Over the years, streaming apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney have also become popular. These subscription-based streaming services offer a range of films and TV series at very economical prices. While these apps have brought a revolution in the global entertainment industry, they have also imparted harmful digital practices among their audiences, particularly children. Teenagers and school-going children not only watch explicit content but also spend considerable time before the screen. Such practices are detrimental to their health and personality.

This article discusses the disadvantages of streaming, streaming addition especially, for children and gives valuable suggestions on reducing kids’ screen time.

Part 1: Why Children Are Becoming Tech-savvy?

The 21st century is the century of digital transformation. Every day, a range of cutting-edge tech solutions are being developed with multi-functional capabilities. Just look at your smartphone, this tiny device in your hand can connect you to the whole world within a few seconds. From video calling and text messaging to entertainment and learning, different sets of functions and a library of information are just a few clicks away.

In today’s fast-paced digital era, technology has become critical to progress and development. You need to be tech-savvy to stay ahead of others and achieve your desired career objectives. Hence, educational institutions often concentrate on increasing the use of digital resources in classrooms to enhance children’s learning outcomes. Teachers also ask parents to encourage the safe use of digital devices at home for educational and learning purposes.

Part 2: Why Streaming is Trending Among Teens?

Research conducted by the GSM Association (GSMS) in 2014 shows that over 69% of children between 10 to 16 years of age across eight different countries use a mobile phone. Among them, 95% of smartphone users have internet access and 88% use these devices for watching videos while 77% for educational purposes. These statistics indicate the rising trend of smartphone usage among teenagers for video streaming and entertainment purposes.

But the question is why children are addicted to streaming? Here’s why:

1. A Good Source of Learning

Streaming platforms like YouTube have a huge database of millions of videos on diverse topics. From entertainment to learning, children can watch unlimited videos on any topic. Hence, children like streaming platforms to get knowledge, enhance their intellectual abilities, and get advanced skills online.

2. Economical and Entertaining

While some streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon charge some subscription fees, most of them are free. For instance, you can watch your favorite videos on YouTube for hours without paying a penny. All you need is a digital device and an internet connection. This way, streaming platforms have become easily accessible for children from all age groups.

3. Safe and Reliable

Another reason that attracts children to streaming platforms is that they are safe and reliable. They strictly follow community guidelines so that children do not watch explicit content containing violence or adult scenes. Hence, parents need not worry about their children’s safety while accessing streaming platforms.

Part 3: What Kind of Streaming can Hurt Teens?

But, all is not well with streaming platforms. Although they are very sensitive to their community guidelines, they can still become harmful for children and result in bad consequences if not monitored. This is why parents are advised to be extremely careful while allowing their children to stream online.

Explained below are a few streaming types that can hurt teens:

1. Live Streaming

Live streaming looks amazing apparently, but in reality, it is very dangerous and can even lead to death. Several pro-suicide live stream websites chat rooms are available on the internet that encourages teens towards self-harm.

Besides, children live streaming on the internet are highly vulnerable to cyberbullying and blackmailing. Unless parents keep an eye on live streaming websites their children are accessing, offenders will keep hurting teenagers online for their self-interests and notorious plans.

2. Video Game Streaming

Over the years, video game streaming platforms have quickly gained popularity. These platforms allow users across different regions and age groups to stream themselves on multiple streaming platforms playing a video game. Once videos players are addicted, they become mentally sick and socially isolated.

As far as children are concerned, they are too immature to stream themselves on these platforms because they might engage with offenders and get involved in immoral activities online. Several incidents have been reported where gaming addicts who used to stream online have murdered their whole families in distress. Therefore, strict monitoring is essential concerning video game streaming platforms.

3. Binge-Watching

The term binge-watching refers to the practice of streaming multiple episodes of a TV series or serial all at once. It may take several hours depending on the capacity of the viewer. Extended binge-watching is a bad habit because it disturbs kids’ daily routine and imparts unhealthy behavior among teenagers.

Moreover, most children indulge in binge-watching activities in the evening and weekends and spend hours before screen giving up healthy sleep routines. The outcomes of these practices turn out to be drastic, resulting in eyesight problems, sleep disorders, and similar diseases. It is, therefore, essential for parents to not let binge-watching prevail among their children and encourage a balanced interaction with streaming platforms.

4. Music Streaming

Another type of streaming harmful for children is music streaming, which is becoming more and more popular with the introduction of cost-effective music streaming services. Research shows music is directly associated with mood regulation among listeners.

At the same time, playing music on different streaming platforms with excessive volume or inappropriate song content must be avoided. Excessive exposure to loud music can result in various problems among children such as damaged hair cells, loss of sense of hearing, structural ear damage, etc. Only a controlled usage of music streaming is harmless.

Part4: How to Reduce Kids’ Screen Time

Follow these two tips to reduce your kids’ average screen time:

1. Supplement with Outdoor Sports

One of the best methods to reduce excessive usage of digital devices and reduce kids’ screen time is by encouraging them to participate in outdoor activities. This habit not only discourages bad digital habits but also improves children’s mental and physical health. Besides, outdoor games transform the athletes’ personalities and impart noble traits of self-discipline, teamwork, collaboration, sportsmanship, and integrity.

Hence, to shift your kids’ focus from smartphones to positive activities, provide them with opportunities to play outdoor games and actively participate in physical exercises. For this purpose, your children can get membership from a local gymnasium or join a sports club. Devise healthy schedules so that your kids can play games as well as focus on other essential tasks, particularly studies. Moreover, parents should also adopt a healthy lifestyle free from screen obsession to become role models for their kids. Watching their parents play outdoor sports regularly would encourage children to become physically active and reduce their average screen time.

2. Use Parental Control Apps

It is said that technology can solve 99% problems of our life, including those issues that have been created by the technology itself. Excessive use of digital devices is a problem for modern generations. Parents are often concerned about the health and safety of their kids who spend hours and hours before screens.

Thanks to parental control apps like FamiSafe, which can help parents keep an eye on their children’s online activities and control how they use digital devices. FamiSafe works like a secret monitor and offers powerful parental control features such as:

1. Screen Time: Monitor how much time kids spent using digital devices in a day;

2. Activity Report: Track all activities of teenagers. See which apps and websites they are accessing;

3. Smart Scheduling: Set smart schedules to limit your kids’ excessive use of digital devices and reduce their screen time;

4. Web Filtering: Restrict kids from accessing websites containing potentially harmful content like explicit pictures or videos promoting violence;

5. App Block: Instantly block apps and games that are inappropriate for children;

6. GPS Location: Access the real-time location of children and get complete information about their location history; and

7. Content Management: Limit obsessive usage of digital devices and stop distribution of unwanted content to let kids concentrate on productive activities.

Control screen time by learning about the kid's mobile safety rules in this video.

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Final Words

Streaming platforms like YouTube and Netflix are good sources of endless entertainment. However, they also promote unhealthy digital practices among children and increase their average screen time.

To address this issue, parents need to become role models and encourage their children to actively participate in physical activities. Kids should be allowed to play outdoor games within predefine schedules to maintain their mental and physical health. Besides, parental control apps like FamiSafe can also help children leave screen-obsessed lifestyles and reduce their screen time.

Try FamiSafe today and build healthy digital practices among your children.