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Not Safe
The internet is rife with harmful content including violence, sex, self harm, racism, hate/rage bait; internet exposure puts children at risk of pedophiles, trafficking, cyberbullying, and drugs.
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Addictive
1 in 11 children meet criteria for internet addiction; addictive devices should be banned. Schools don’t give children “just a little” cocaine.
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Don’t Need It
What children learn today through screens will be antiquated by the time they graduate. Universities report students are illiterate; employers won’t hire new grads due to low social skills and literacy.
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Academic Decline
Academic performance and literacy have declined since screens were introduced. The brain is like a muscle—use it or lose it. Studies show loss of frontal lobe function with AI. Humans have not evolved to learn from screens.
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Reduced Teacher Time
Computers are not a learning tool. Teachers teach; screens entertain. Paper, pencil, and books are research-proven tools for learning and literacy.
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Uncredentialed EdTech Designers
No research evidence, unprofessional, not accredited, inexperienced, and profit-motivated.
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Not Legal
Targeted ads, data harvesting, and privacy infringement.
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Isolating
1 in 5 children aged 8–18 have a diagnosed mental illness. Excessive internet use constitutes neglect; humans are pack animals and thrive on real human connection.
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Sedentary
1 in 3 children enter school developmentally delayed. Movement enhances learning, behavior, and literacy achievement.
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Overstimulating
Heart attacks and strokes are on the rise, especially in younger generations.
This list was compiled at the requests of numerous teachers by Cris Rowan, a pediatric occupational therapist, biologist, author of “Virtual Child” and international speaker passionate about changing the ways in which children use screen technologies.
Over 600 supporting research references can be sourced on Reconnect Webinars website, Resource section, Fact Sheet at reconnectwebinars.com. Please share widely. Published Jan. 16, ’26.
Please share widely.
Published Jan. 16, ’26.
One Response
I really like the work that Cris does, she is a leader in teaching families and communities about the harms of screen use, overuse, and addiction, especially in children, and we all need to listen. I have two daughters, ages 13 & 8, and neither of them have a tablet, phone, iPod, or gaming device. They have a good old-fashioned landline and an old-school CD player. They are thriving, in school and out. They read a ton, they do art or Lego, or they go play outside. We worried they would fall off the social ladder, but it’s the opposite, they have many wonderful friends. They are also not allowed to use the word “bored” in our house, if they do there is a list of chores they can choose from (dishes, vacuuming, laundry, etc, and believe it or not, they’ll do the dishes without me even asking!) I also want to highlight that excessive screen use is not only bad for children, but also for adults. As a nurse who ran a cardiac rehab program, one of the most common contributors to heart disease that I observed was a sedentary lifestyle. Many people considered themselves active because they gardened or stayed busy around the house, but what often made the biggest difference was making time for regular, intentional daily exercise, that was appropriate for their health and abilities. And, this often led to many improvements, including a reduction in joint pain, and improvements in strength, balance, energy, mood, confidence, blood pressure, blood sugar, and overall quality of life! I believe that by limiting our own daily screen time as adults, we set a positive example for our children while creating more opportunities for movement and physical activity. Thank you for all the work that you do Cris!