“Technology is a part of all our lives and we seem to be spending more and more time in the digital world. But is always being ‘on’ having an effect on us? The way we feel? And our friendships?”
How do we find balance in a digital environment that’s specifically designed to make us want to check back in on it for fear of missing out? How do we protect ourselves from online bullying or toxic content that’s being shared or sent in email and messages?
BBC Own It (only available in the United Kingdom) launched a campaign to better educate kids and parents about their digital wellbeing, including how to navigate social media, and how to promote and preserve positive online interactions.
These two animations, Always being ‘on’ – does it affect our friendships? and Does being anonymous make it easier to be mean?, below, were created by Edinburgh, Scotland-based animation studio HeeHaw.
Related reading: Guidance for parents about digital wellbeing for 3-7 years olds, 7-11 year olds, 11-14 year olds, and 14-18 year olds.
And a book recommendation: The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life, “an evidence-based, don’t-panic guide to what to do about kids and screens” by Anya Kamenetz.
Related videos include Right On Tracks: Music videos that encourage kindness, inclusion, and empathy and The Benefits of Boredom. Plus, watch How To Forgive and The Uses of Envy from The School of Life.
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