The APA Recommendations for Healthy Teen Video Viewing summarizes the scientific research on adolescents’ video viewing habits to offer steps that can be taken immediately by parents, youth or educators, as well as recommendations for substantial changes by policymakers and technology industry professionals.
In Connecticut, the recommendations arrive at a time when the use of cellphones in schools is being actively debated. In August, the Connecticut State Board of Education approved a new recommendation for Connecticut public schools: cell phones should not be used at all during the school day of elementary and middle school students, while cell phone use in high schools should be limited.
“Technology, when used purposefully, can enhance learning and connection, but we must also protect our students from the potential negative impacts of excessive and unrestricted use,” said Erin Benham, acting chair of the state Board of Education, this summer. The Board’s policy “can help schools strike that balance, supporting students in a way that prepares them for success in learning and in life,” he added.
The new APA report, issued just three months later, recommends educating adolescents so they can be more selective regarding the videos they view. It notes that videos can “assist with homework, teach new skills or hobbies, or provide insights into different cultures and experiences.” By being taught video literacy in schools at all levels, teens can expand their knowledge and abilities while resisting manipulative platform features designed to prolong engagement and profit from their attention.
The report also calls for tech companies to modify the built-in features of their platforms that can impact adolescent well-being. Platforms that recommend content to youth, switch rapidly between short-form videos and autoplay videos to extend viewing times may magnify the effects of harmful video content and contribute to maladaptive viewing habits in youth, according to the report.
Other recommendations from the report include: