DR. JANKHANA HAKANI
Today ‘Gadgets’ (smart phones, tablets, iPad, etc.) have become a part of our life. They are a necessity, especially in these pandemic times when working and schooling is all online. They have become indispensable. Gadgets make doing mundane things efficient and repeatable by using various mobile apps for routine activities.
We have entered the age of ‘Information Revolution’ wherein enormous information is available at our fingertips- Google Maps, You Tube, Health monitoring apps, Instagram, Twitter, E readers, etc.
We can share daily or special life events with thousands of people and get response within minutes, if not seconds on FB, Twitter, and Instagram. We can watch videos on demand- Netflix, Amazon, etc. anywhere and anytime. We use them as Pacifiers for kids to calm them and to keep them busy. Children learn a lot too from these smart phones.
They have revolutionized the way we communicate. It’s Faster (whatsApp, face time, etc.), with very less waiting time for reply even via emails. We can contact anyone anywhere by just a press of a button. Research or library work also has become easier. We have all our information at the tips of our fingers by simply clicking few buttons. So, our little smart phones have been correctly labeled as ‘Super Computers’- A hand size device fitting in a pocket.
Though having enumerable advantages, if these super computers are used for a long duration every day, it does cause addiction and various physical, emotional, social and psychological problems.
So, what has happened is that, because it is so easily available the use of technology / Smartphone use has increased by 300 % in the last decade and is still increasing.
Due to the pandemic, there has been increase in work from home and also online schooling, increasing the screen time further.Â
A study conducted by Jaipur-based JK Lone Children’s Hospital online, across 30 Indian cities concluded that the children’s addiction to electronic devices during the lockdown increased up to 3 times. They spent between 2 and 5 hours a day on their favorite gadgets, minimum.65%of the children became addicted to electronic devices, and 50%of them couldn’t stay away from their gadgets for even half an hour.
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