CHILD AND MEDIA
R.A.
Holl
Leiden
University Medical Center, The Netherlands
For many
years there has been little discussion about the potential benefits of
media for children and adolescents. Television and computers were believed
to have only positive, educational effects. Over the last few years
however, convincing evidence has been presented, showing negative side
effects of mass media on children.
Especially
in the United States of America, these data have caused much concern among
pediatricians. For that reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics has
recently published recommendations for pediatricians indicating how they
can inform parents about the health risks due to exposure to mass media and
how they should educate parents and children to avoid these risks.
It is
impossible to imagine life today without television and personal computers.
As a consequence it is inevitable that children watch television and use
the computers. The possibilities to use these media for educational
purposes, for instance at school and at home, are countless.
The
other side of the coin is that many kids use most of their spare time to
watch television. The figures of time spent viewing television by
youngsters are shocking. During all those hours children can watch
violence, sex and the use of alcohol and tobacco almost unlimitedly.
It has
been demonstrated clearly that aggressive behavior is correlated directly
with exposure to mediaviolence. Children are confronted with the use of
alcohol and tobacco by famous moviestars many times a day and often simply
copy the behavior of their television idols. The average young viewer is
also exposed to thousands of sexual references each year, but only a few
will contain important information about birth control, risks of pregnancy
and sexually transmitted diseases.
There is
every reason to believe that these data go for many countries in Europe,
just as much as they do for the U.S.A. The recent outbreaks of violence in
secondary schools in the Netherlands and England have caused a wide debate
about the necessity to control the contents of television programs better
and to start media education programs.