Emily Cherkin, a Seattle mom, former teacher, and author who helps families and schools navigate the digital age under the moniker “The Screentime Consultant,” recently took her fight against overuse of technology in education (Ed Tech) to Congress. During an impassioned presentation to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Cherkin described technology business model as fundamentally “at odds” with healthy child development.
In her January testimony, included via video below, Cherkin painted a hard picture for lawmakers:
“Today, in America 40% of two-year-olds have a personal tablet,” Cherkin said. “Children 8 to 18-years-old average 7.5 hours a day on screens– outside of school hours. Nearly 90% of American public schools provide children with internet-connected devices for “learning” [while] occupational therapists [have to] teach young children how to turn the pages of a book.”
“I know one teen who was so addicted to his phone he sealed it in a Ziploc bag and brought it into the shower with him,” said Cherkin, who is also on faculty at the University of Washington. “Twenty-six percent of 13- to 17-year-olds use ChatGPT to do their schoolwork– which they access on the laptops the school gives them.”
Cherkin was in Washington, D.C., to voice her support for the proposed Kids Off Social Media Act, sponsored by Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), which aims to protect children from online harm by banning social media accounts for kids under 13. The proposal is co-sponsored by Washington Sen. Patty Murray (D-Bothell) and would, among other things, prohibit companies from using algorithms to push content to users under 17. Further, it would require schools to block social media on their networks to receive E-Rate funding—an initiative that provides discounts of 20% to 90% on telecommunications, internet access, and internal network connections for eligible schools and libraries.
The act, first introduced a year ago, was placed this month on the Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders—which meansit’s ready for consideration by the full Senate but has not yet been passed by the Senate. If approved by the full body, it would go to the U.S. House of Representatives.
“We have reached a moment that demands we slow down and build things, even when the tech industry insists on the opposite,” Cherkin told the committee. “Legislation like the Kids Off Social Media Act is a start– and I believe we can go further. Just as we have done with regulating alcohol and tobacco access, we can do so with social media, too.”
Cherkin used an attention-getting analogy to make her point: “The juxtaposition of childhood innocence and technology’s overreach can be seen in this anecdote: Middle schoolers, still losing their baby teeth, think it’s funny to imitate the sex noises they hear from watching online content.”
Watch the testimony given by Emily Cherkin, aka The Screentime Consultant, here:
Take action: Do you have an opinion on the use of technology in the classroom? It is it overused and should it be regulated by passage of the Kids Off Social Media Act? Reach out to your members of Congress and tell them how you want them to vote on this or any legislation. Find your lawmaker at congress.gov.
To learn about other ways to speak out, bookmark our list “Make your voice heard for Washington’s kids.”
To find columns by Emily Cherkin at Seattleschild.com, simply put “the screentime consultant” in the search box.
