Children and computers: New technology - Old concerns

Computer technology has ushered in a new era of mass media, bringing with i t great promise and great concerns about the effect on children's developme nt and wellbeing. Although we tend to see these issues as being new, simila r promises and concerns have accompanied each new wave of media technology throughout the past century: films in the early 1900s, radio in the 1920s, and television in the 1940s. With the introduction of each of these technol ogies, proponents touted the educational benefits for children, while oppon ents voiced fears about exposure to inappropriate commercial, sexual, and v iolent content. This article places current studies on children and computers in a historic al context, noting the recurrent themes and patterns in media research duri ng the twentieth century. Initial research concerning each innovation has t ended to focus on issues of access and the amount of time children were spe nding with the new medium. As use of the technology became more prevalent, research shifted to issues related to content and its effects on children. Current research on children's use of computers is again following this pat tern. But the increased level of interactivity now possible with computer g ames and with the communication features of die Internet has heightened bot h the promise of greatly enriched learning and the concerns related to incr eased risk of harm. As a result, research on die effects of exposure to var ious types of content has taken on a new sense of urgency The authors concl ude that to help inform and sustain die creation of more quality content fo r children, further research is needed on the effects of media on children, and new partnerships must be forged between industry, academia, and advoca cy groups.