Impact of Media Technology on Gen Alpha

 

Generation Alpha is our first generation growing up entirely in a digital world. This group of children, born 2013 to present, has been surrounded by technology from a young age with devices often introduced as a soothing distraction or educational aid. It has had a profound impact on their development. 

Studies show that screentime among 21st century infants, toddlers, and preschoolers has increased significantly during the 2010s - with nearly 90% of young children using a handheld electronic device by age 1; 58% exposed to a smartphone or tablet by age 4; and almost 1-in-4 kids having a personal cell phone by age 8. A Common Sense media report suggests that the amount of time spent using mobile devices has increased from 15 minutes a day in 2013 to 48 minutes in 2017 - up to an average of 84 minutes a day on platforms in recent years. 💻

Many Gen Alpha kids have not only formed a comfort level with devices like smartphones and tablets, but they have been engaging with video content as a form of entertainment from very early in their development. Studies report that kids favor apps with engaging short-form, attention-getting video content like that offered on YouTube Kids and TikTok. A 2025 study in Academic Pediatrics reports that more than 68% of social media users ages 11-12 already had TikTok accounts even though the age restriction is age 13 on both TikTok and YouTube. It's also led to a growing interest in gaming, with Roblox becoming a popular go-to platform for kids to create virtual worlds and interact with other users.📱

Being born into the age of technology and constant access to screen media comes with both positives and negatives. On the plus side, some researchers and educators suggest that use of electronic devices at a young age should be embraced as a way to prepare children for life in our digital world. Used and monitored correctly, they say it can teach skills that children will need for life offline as well. On the downside, the digital world comes with serious challenges that may lead to cyberbullying, screen addiction, and exposure to inappropriate content. (see our January 12 blog post on cyberbullying). 

It's up to parents to closely monitor their children's time spent on devices as well as the content they are viewing - and that should be balanced with participating in other fun activities in the "real world" like playing outdoors with friends and siblings, reading, and enjoying family time like we did as kids too. 👦👧