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Negative Impacts of Computers on Children

Computers can be a great boon to children, providing a resource for learning, communication and age-appropriate entertainment. Without adult supervision, however, the computer can become a time-consuming distraction and may even threaten your child's physical and mental health. Keeping the computer your child uses in a common room where you can monitor her activity while limiting the amount of time she spends with it helps ensure that her computer use remains safe, productive and enjoyable.

  1. Detrimental Health Effects

    • In an article for "The Future of Children," Margie Shields and Richard Behrman noted excessive computer use puts children at risk for repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Prolonged computer use without breaks for physical play and outdoor activities increases a child's risk of obesity, especially when combined with other sedentary activities such as watching television and playing video games. Some children may also vision problems, as their eyes need to focus intensely for prolonged durations to process information on computer monitors. According to WebMD, this continuous strain may influence the progression of nearsightedness, a treatable and mostly genetic tendency for deterioration in a child's ability to clearly see distant objects.

    Exposure to Harmful Content

    • While the Internet hosts a vast array of family-friendly entertainment and educational sites, children can easily find or stumble across pornographic websites and sites that advocate racial hatred or promote illegal activity. Other sites may appear more benign, but expose children to unwanted content, such as entertainment sites that bombard children with advertising. Parents who let their children visit YouTube should know that while the site blocks sexually explicit content, it also hosts videos featuring graphic violence and heavy profanity. Installing blocking software on your computer and filtering content through your browser's parental controls can restrict your child's access to this type of material.

    Poor Academic Performance

    • A Duke University study indicated unsupervised computer use can harm children's academic performance, as children are likely to spend more time surfing recreational sites and socializing than actually researching and studying. The Duke study, "Scaling the Digital Divide," noted low-income children in North Carolina scored lower on reading and math tests when broadband access was introduced to their communities between 2000 and 2005.

    Risk of Exploitation by Predators

    • Social networking and online multi-player games can provide opportunities for children to socialize with their friends and meet other kids from across the world, but these applications can also expose them to predators who use the Internet as a means to exploit children. Online predators often familiarize themselves with current music, cartoons and other areas of children's interest, and may pose as children themselves to gain your child's confidence. Children who access video chat sites such as ChatRoulette can find themselves confronted by unwanted sexual advances and abusive behavior. The FBI recommends teaching your children the importance of safeguarding personal information and never allowing a child to have Internet access in his bedroom.

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