This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://colinrturner.com/2022/12/13/social-media-a-force-for-good-or-bad/
I’ve seen the effects of social media (YouTube in our case) on our children first hand. We have 5 children in ages 3, 5, 8 and 9 years old. As soon as YouTube was introduced, it would take all screen time (no more netflix or playing games), became very addictive, we had children seeking negative attention, defiant behavior, our children would wake up in the middle of the night searching for their tablet, bad dreams, strange drawings, foul language, stupid behavior, negative self image, shorter attention spans, neediness. We chose to cut YouTube and within a week or two the family dynamics normalized. I am most certain that TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, etc. are harmful for many kids.
Even adults are affected. Sometimes I get lost on YouTube and I literally feel all the input pulling my attention and impeding my focus and energy. Even after a few days when I watch serious matters.
On the other hand. Having YouTube is great to learn new stuff, guided meditations, yoga, etc. And, barring all the stupid things on there, I really think it could 10 fold learning capabilities for children and adults alike, if used correctly.
I would be very happy if there would be apps without the home feed or recommended videos.
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Just came across this: Generative AI Is About To Reset Everything, And, Yes It Will Change Your Life | Forbes - YouTube
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