"Control of Space Invaders and Other Electronic Games" - Now Social Media 4 Decades Later
When I read that UK Parliament Members were considering legislation later this year to force limits on the amount of time children could spend on Social Media apps I remembered that this was not the first time this was tried. On May 20, 1981, George Foulkes, MP, introduced a bill in the UK Parliament titled "Control of Space Invaders and Other Electronic Games." This bill was intended to place strict limits on the amount of time children could spend playing arcade games like “Space Invaders”. He stated “That is what is happening to our young people. They play truant, miss meals, and give up other normal activity to play "space invaders". They become crazed, with eyes glazed, oblivious to everything around them, as they play the machines. It is difficult to appreciate unless one has seen it for oneself.”
The bill did not pass nor did it ever pass. It remained the parents responsibility to limit their children on these large coin operated arcade machines and ultimately the gaming consoles such as Atari that became popular in homes around the world. In China today children are limited by law to 3 hours per week of online videogame play. This is possible only due to the nature of their highly regulated economy, internet and with the cooperation of supportive parents. These harsh limits only came after years of attempting less restrictive solutions.
There is no doubt that many forms of excess screen time can cause harm. Not just for those under 18 years of age but for all of us. The question is whether or not legal safeguards are even helpful. In the UK, the legislation being considered would place a two hour limit on each social media platform. While this might seem helpful, it still does not limit the total amount of social media time each day and does not set curfews for use. Further, it does not consider the maturity of the child and the parents lifestyle and values. Many of these platforms already have parental controls however, as we have seen, managing all these platforms is not a viable solution for parents.
The Solution: The Sentinel LaunchPad
Regardless of ones view of the role of government in regulating our world, parents will remain the most important influence in children’s lives. Today parents must raise children with the skills to use technology safely and wisely. At Sentinel Computers we believe the LaunchPad can help parents do exactly that. The LaunchPad allows parents to set when and how long social media can be accessed. It automatically restricts access to all social media based on the age of the child, parent’s sense of the child’s maturity and other preferences. In addition, it allows parents to monitor their child’s screen activity, communicate with the child about their concerns and even remotely remove them from access to unacceptable content.
No smartphones, tablets, smart TVs or gaming consoles. Just one device designed to keep children safe and productive - the Sentinel LaunchPad.