Our Children and the Information Age

As I've written about extensively we are just entering the new Information Age with incredible information all in our pockets through our mobile devices. 

What is all of this doing to each of us?

We are only starting to see the changes that are coming and are very early in understanding what the ramifications of those changes are.

Here is one story that claims the Rich and Poor divide in the U.S. is resulting in unexpected reaction to these questions: the wealthy are disconnecting their kids because they can afford to while the poor can not.

Here is a snippet from this worthwhile piece:

The parents in Overland Park, Kan., were fed up. They wanted their children off screens, but they needed strength in numbers. First, because no one wants their kid to be the lone weird one without a phone. And second, because taking the phone away from a middle schooler is actually very, very tough.

“We start the meetings by saying, ‘This is hard, we’re in a new frontier, but who is going to help us?’” said Krista Boan, who is leading a Kansas City-based program called START, which stands for Stand Together And Rethink Technology. “We can’t call our moms about this one.”

For the last six months, at night in school libraries across Overland Park, a suburb of Kansas City, Mo., about 150 parents have been meeting to talk about one thing: how to get their children off screens.

Here is the full story:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/26/style/digital-divide-screens-schools.html

Do those of us in the industry have a responsibility to be aware of these questions and even address them?  I think maybe so.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant