Tech addiction has been recognized for a decade as a serious problem among young people, and yet society has done little to address it.  Many people have rationalized this passive acceptance by claiming that today’s children are digital natives and they therefore have adapted to being continuously online. Yet, in Michael Mercier’s research children have told him otherwise.  Deep down today’s youth know that their phones are an obstacle to living their lives in a deeper, more satisfying way, yet the draw of technology is so overpowering that they are unable to resist it.  Something needs to be done to help them, and Mr. Mercier can provide a path.

In this seminar, Mr. Mercier will provide parents with a framework for understanding the causes of tech addiction.  Next he’ll walk through his research on how teens feel about their tech addiction and its impact on their lives, and he’ll address their wish to have screen time limits imposed on them and to have someone teach them how to control their tech use.  He’ll then show the benefits they derive from getting a break from their phones, and how a school phone ban can be leveraged as a touchstone experience to help them improve their ability to self-limit their screen time.

Michael Mercier is president of Cincinnati-based Screen Education, which addresses issues at the intersection of digital technology and human optimization, including overcoming digital addiction, the impact of the news media, and how to use AI chatbots for self-directed learning.

This session is sponsored by NIACC. Refreshments provided by Mason City Schools.