Building Equitable Access and Inclusion for Children Growing up in the Digital Age

Abstract

Beginning during infancy, digital media are a pervasive part of family life, affecting opportunities to learn and time in family relationships. Research showing the potentially negative impacts of media on very young children led to recommendations of restricted media usage. Other research has examined how educational media can promote child outcomes and well-being. However, stark issues of digital inequity remain. Many families experience underconnectivity, with both income and geography limiting access to adequate bandwidth. Finally, cracks in the democratic structure of the Internet are emerging. Software engineers and social scientists revealed that algorithms determine children's media content and exploitative features manipulate the duration of media exposure. The article evaluates media usage for very young children. Based on this risk–benefit analysis, the article proposes a policy to increase the inclusiveness and safety of the digital space for all young children.