Blog #2 Why Taiwan is right to ban iPads for Kids

Social media is a massive wave that is taking over the world by storm. In the year 2015, you see more communication through technology and less through word of mouth. Technology has become more advanced in the sense that we don't even care to see each other in person any more because we can tweet, snap or Face time them. The social media / technological frenzy has impacted the world so much that Taiwan is fed up with it. The Taiwanese lawmakers have ruled that children under the age of two are not allowed to use technological gadgets at all. The lawmakers have also put their foot down on kids under the age of 18 using devices for a long period of time. If parents or legal guardians don't abide by the new "Child and Youth Welfare Protection Act" then a 50000 Taiwanese dollar ($1576 USD) fine maybe headed their way. How the government would distinguish how much a long period is, no one is sure so the law is rough around the edges. The government telling parents how to raise their kids sounds crazy but it is for a cause if you think outside the box. The American Academy of Pediatrics is a famous organization that is dedicated to the wellness of all children and a couple of their recommendations that provided in the article makes a lot of sense."Television and other entertainment media should be avoided for infants and children under age two," says AAP. "A child's brain develops rapidly during these first years, and young children learn best by interacting with people not screens." The two quotes may have a big correlation with what the Taiwanese lawmaker were aiming for. The future of the country may one day be in the hands of these children. Of course they would love to point the direction of the development of these children in the right direction. Interacting with screens instead of people can cause impaired brain development, attention problems, behavioral difficulties and etc. In defense of the Taiwanese officials, the new child guidelines may not be a bad idea after all.

Simons, Jake Wallis. CNN. 4 February 2015. 11 February 2015.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/03/intl_opinion/taiwan-ipads-kids/index.html

Shane Otchere
Wednesday, February 11 2015.
1:30 AM