Healthy Harold: online risks and balancing screen time benefits

Hey, friends! It’s Harold here.

It’s nearly World Social Media Day – which falls on 30 June. It got me thinking about a story I wanted to share with you.

One day after school, I rushed home because I wanted to play an online game with my friends. But it’s not as simple as it sounds.

Dad showed me one part of the game which felt safe and familiar. I only saw people I knew: friends and family. We all got the same code to join the game and play together. There were also helpers watching to make sure we were all following the rules. Everyone was kind, and if someone was being mean, they weren’t allowed in our world anymore. I felt comfortable talking, building and playing because I knew I was safe.

But when Dad showed me the second part of the game, it was very different. Anyone could join, even strangers. There was this chat – a place where everyone in this world could talk to each other. It was cool at first, but then I noticed people were asking for personal information like our real names and what school we went to. Some people were nice, but others said mean things. There were no helpers watching, either. I didn’t feel safe.

That’s when I realised that not every online game is the same. Some online spaces are safer because they have rules, trusted adults and privacy settings. This security is important, especially for kids who are still learning how to use the internet safely.

Don’t get me wrong, the online world can be fun. I told you about that game I love to play with my friends and family!

The internet helps us to find information, learn new things, be creative and make new friends. The opportunities are endless. But that means there are also some big risks if you’re unsure about whether the content you’re looking at is true or not, or what will happen if you click on items or talk to people you don’t recognise.

For example, did you know that four years ago the eSafety Commissioner did some research and they found:

Six out of 10 children experienced something online that bothered or upset them.

More than one in two children (53 per cent) had experienced cyber-bullying.

You have probably heard of something called the Australian social media delay. It is a law that was introduced last year which aims to keep kids safe by delaying children’s access to social media until they turn 16. It’s the first of its kind worldwide.

You may be wondering: what’s the point? It’s not about keeping children off the internet. It’s about giving them the time to learn and develop the skills needed to stay safe online.

That extra time is needed because the online world is a big space with a lot of possibilities, information and people from across the world creating content that may or may not be true or could be upsetting or harmful to young people.

We can use the time created by the social media delay to ask a lot of questions, learn how to navigate the internet, practise making good choices and most of all, enjoy time away from screens. After all, how good is hanging out with friends, enjoying the outdoors, getting to the beach or park, or just relaxing in the sun?

You know what’s awesome? Most Australian children only spend the recommended amount of time on screens, which is no more than two hours a day.

This 120 minutes is something to celebrate, because if we spend too much time on screens, it can have an effect how we feel, think and behave. This impact is because our brains release a quick burst of a feel-good chemical called dopamine. When the dopamine fades, we might feel grumpy, bored or want to keep playing even when it’s time to stop.

That’s why the Australian Government recommends people aged five to 17 years do at least one hour of physical activity per day. This activity could be:

Playing a sport (soccer, basketball, tennis etc.)

Swimming

Riding a bike

Playing at the park

There’s many more that I haven’t mentioned. Can you think of others? What’s your favourite?

Caption: Healthy Harold believes the social media delay will help children embrace nature and have fun outside of a screen! Picture: supplied/Life Ed

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