Generation Tech: One in three kids learn to use a mobile phone or tablet before they learn to talk

Risk Averse:

A new Freakonomics trend is forming. Kids are mastering technology before they learn to speak. It is difficult to even attempt to predict what kind of implications this will have on this new "Generation Tech." Malcom Gladwell suggested that one of the biggest factors in Bill Gates' success was his immense exposure to programming by the time he was in a position to act profit from this experience. How about an army of kids who have 10,000 hours of interaction with mobile phones and tablets before they turn 5 years old? I am not sure if this is a positive or negative development. As kids we played video games endlessly, and before us kids stared at the TV endlessly, and before them kids played in the yard endlessly... And all of these were frowned upon at the time. Perhaps Generation tech just needs some guidance in the right direction.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at November 6, 2013 12:02 AM
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