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Should Hong Kong consider limiting children’s screen time? The pervasiveness of electronic devices and the rise of addictive social media have prompted much reflection over the years about their impact on children. physically and mental health – especially The kids.
Recently, The Economist analyzed suicide data from 17 developed countries (including the UK, Germany, the US, South Korea and Australia) from 2003 to 2021 and found that suicide rates among young women, particularly girls aged 10-19, have skyrocketed over the past decade. This coincides with the rise of social media. Is there a correlation between social media consumption and poor mental health?
The jury is still out, but given the growing concerns about young people’s mental health, I believe more attention should be paid to the negative effects of too much screen time (see “Rise in Hong Kong youth suicides prompts calls for more action”). June 12).
In Hong Kong, 86.7 percent of children between the ages of 10 and 14 own a mobile phone. A survey last year found that primary school students in Hong Kong spend an average of four hours a day on digital devices on weekdays and up to six hours on weekends and holidays. These figures are comparable to other countries. In the United States and Japan, a separate survey last year found that teenagers spend an average of nearly five hours a day online.
Some authorities are taking action. In March, the US state of Florida passed a bill banning social media use by children under the age of 14. In mainland China, authorities Restrict your child’s smartphone use It was recommended that children should not use mobile phones for more than two hours a day. The UK government considered banning the sale of mobile phones to anyone under the age of 16.
The Hong Kong government is taking steps to support students’ mental health Mechanisms for identifying suicide risk Schools may also need to investigate students’ screen time and online behavior.
Meanwhile, parents should be aware that trying to get their kids to stop using social media usually leads to conflict and is rarely effective: Experts suggest discussing screen time schedules with your kids and organizing more outdoor activities on weekends.
Dr. Winnie Tan (Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong)
One area where the US leads: single-use plastics.
I just returned from a month-long trip to the US to visit family, and there were three things that stood out to me during my trip.
First, I didn’t carry a cent during the month I stayed in Hong Kong. I didn’t have any cash. Compared to Hong Kong, it seemed like there were more stores in the US that accepted digital and credit card payments. Second, my friends and the people I met didn’t understand or care about Hong Kong, and they didn’t know what kind of place Hong Kong was. American politicians They are trying to force it on our great cities. They are more worried about the disaster that a Biden administration will cause.
The third and most striking observation is that the US continues to be addicted to single-use plastics, with regulations at the state level but no national enforcement. Responsible Prohibition Hong Kong is gradually introducing plastic straws, and some single-use plastic products are wrapped and sealed in plastic.
It seems like we’ve come a long way compared to the U.S., with one notable exception: Supermarkets in some cities and states no longer provide bags for groceries; you must bring your own bags or carry your purchases under your arm.
Still, when it comes to efforts to eliminate single-use plastics, well done, Hong Kong!
Simon Constantinides, Sai Kun
Why a conviction wouldn’t hurt Donald Trump’s campaign
Former US President Donald Trump Was found guilty Trump pleaded guilty to hush money charges in his New York hush money trial, a case that continues to reverberate across the country, and the jury verdict handed down last month could tip the scales in Trump’s favor in the Nov. 5 presidential election.
If Trump is portrayed as the victim of a political witch hunt by his opponents trying to sabotage his reelection campaign, voter sympathy could return him to the White House.
There Tao Te Ching“Good fortune follows bad fortune, and bad fortune lurks within good fortune. No one knows how things will end.” The Joe Biden administration and its supporters are Calculation error.
America has been through tumultuous times in its 248-year history. As a student of history, my knowledge of this young country spans the years of John F. Kennedy’s presidency, Watergate, and the 1990s. Bill Clinton case.
Perhaps we should not be too quick to judge when faced with a case like Clinton’s: the American public may be savvy enough to overlook Trump’s small mistakes.
Luo Wai Harbor, Tsuen Wan
