Pediatrician Megan Moreno Says 1 Better Talk Beats AI Panic for Kids' Digital Well-being
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Oct 13
Pediatrician Megan Moreno Says 1 Better Talk Beats AI Panic for Kids' Digital Well-being
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Oct 13
Summary
Megan Moreno argues the biggest threat to children’s digital well-being is not AI or screens themselves, but families’ failure to talk openly and curiously about technology use.
In clinic visits, she says accusatory questions about screen time often make teens defensive, while asking what they do online can surface friendships, creativity, career interests or stress from excessive gaming.
At 1 community youth panel, every adolescent said they had never had a positive conversation with a parent about technology, underscoring how discussions often start with warnings and fear.
Moreno says parents, bombarded by alarming headlines and managing their own device use, may be the real anxious generation; she urges them to model honesty, ask questions and share concerns.
Her message accompanies the Oct. 13 publication of “Connecting: Raising Kids in the Digital World,” which argues calmer family dialogue can also lead to better debates on platform design, corporate duties and policy.