Victor Strasburger: parents clueless about the impact of media exposure

The American Academy of Pediatrics said that parents need to know that unrestricted media use can have serious consequences, including violence, cyber bullying, school woes and obesity among others.

Dr Victor Strasburger, lead author of the new policy for parents, explained that many parents are clueless about the profound impact media exposure can have on their children adding that it is the 21st century and the parents needs to get with it, stuff.co.nz reports.

The new policy is aimed at all kids, who use technology through smartphone's, computers and other internet-connected devices and works upon the Academy's recommendation of two hours of entertainment screen time daily for children and teens.

According to the report, the new policy states that those two hours of entertainment screen will be inclusive of using the internet for Facebook, Twitter, TV and movies; however, online homework is an exception.

The announcement comes two weeks after police arrested two Florida girls accused of bullying a classmate who committed suicide and one of the girls boasted online about the bullying.