Most people at this point are basically married to their smartphone. It’s rare that those nifty little devices don’t feel like an essential component in our lives.
But at what point does it become a serious problem?
That’s what Dr. Delaney Ruston sought to answer when she made Screenagers, a film that documents the amount of time teenagers now spend staring into screens and the problems it creates within their families.
It’s true that many teenagers get stuck in an endless loop of texting, tweeting and gaming. But it’s becoming an even greater problem for adults, too. Nielson reports that grown-ups are looking at screens for about 11 hours a day. As Ruston’s film points out, up to 14 percent of the adult population is fighting Internet addiction.
The film is screening around the country, including several in Florida, but if you can’t make a showing, the site features a host of resources to help you calculate your (our your child’s) level of screen time and figure out ways to kick the habit, if needed.
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