"While this is a great first step, change will also need to happen at the developer level. Instead of asking "how can we make current apps safer?" we should be asking: "how can we put kids' brain health at the center of the app from the start?" and "what if we focused on what app design could add to a child's experience, rather than just what it should limit?""
"The immediate gratification system, powered by the mesolimbic pathway in the brain, drives "short dopamine." Also known as the "hot" or "wanting" system, the mesolimbic pathway presides over impulse, desire, novelty, unpredictability, and the anticipation of reward. Think of the rush you get when walking through a haunted house: each unexpected scare keeps you engaged and craving the next thrill."
Excessive screen time among children correlates with higher risk of depression and anxiety even by ages nine or ten. Bipartisan federal and state bills propose limits on screen time, content access, and searchable terms to make apps safer for kids. Change must also occur at the developer level by centering children's brain health in app design rather than solely imposing restrictions. The brain contains distinct immediate and delayed gratification reward systems. The immediate system, driven by the mesolimbic pathway, produces "short dopamine" and responds to novelty, unpredictability, and anticipation. Many attention-based apps exploit short dopamine to maximize engagement and keep children wanting more.
Read at App Developer Magazine
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]