According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), about fifty percent of teenagers had an average screen time of four hours or greater from July 2021 to Dec 2023. In the past decade technology has become part of human life more than ever. Older generations have become infamous for critiquing the new age of technology and the screen time of teenagers, while children dig in their heels over their electronics. But, who is correct?

It is important to recognize the fact that while some aspects of social media are hurting teenagers, the current age is more accepting and knowledgeable about the world outside of their small towns than ever. When personal computers began to be released in the 1970s, connecting lines were drawn between towns, states, and countries. A lot of criticism stems from the dangers of social media voiced by older generations. But, many don’t see the bigger picture, literally and figuratively. Due to the fact that older generations didn’t get to experience the number of cultures and people children now get to because of internet connections, their disdain grows. The digital world is available at the fingertips of most people in the world, anything can be discovered, and anyone can learn about any other person’s life. Learning is how our world is pushed forward, whether you are learning a new recipe, or about the culture of another country you would have never witnessed if not for the lines drawn between people. The power to research anything without having to sit in a library may feel like a foreign concept to many, but the new digital age of children has access to hundreds of libraries in their pockets. Just because technology is new doesn’t mean that it is to be hated, or harmful. Open minds are how our country advances, and pushes us to step out of our comfortable small towns. The Talon believes that the digital age allows citizens to research the facts, and grow into educated, and connected citizens for our world.