The debate about children and young people’s digital lives has been omnipresent in recent years. Often, the discussion has revolved around screen time—what is healthy, and when does it start to affect children’s well-being?
While that question is important, it shouldn’t be the only one we focus on. So says Mathias Nimgaard, who has just started a new industrial PhD project focusing on vulnerability, digital media, and communities.
“For a long time, there has been a strong focus on digital media, with the discussion centering on how much time children and young people spend on it. That is an important discussion, but we haven’t been good enough at also focusing on which children and young people—and under what circumstances—have positive or negative experiences with it,” he says.
Loneliness and online communities
Through his PhD, which he began in April, Mathias Nimgaard hopes to contribute new knowledge that can particularly benefit children who are struggling.
“We know that children who are thriving also tend to have more positive digital experiences. Conversely, it can amplify negative experiences for those who are already facing difficulties,” he says, pointing to loneliness as one example.
“If you already feel excluded from the community, you may feel even more alone when you’re not included in the Snapchat group,” he says. On the other hand, others may find a way out of loneliness through, for example, gaming—highlighting the need for more knowledge about the dynamics between children’s well-being and digital media, explains Mathias Nimgaard.
Phone bans are not the whole solution
To address issues with well-being, many schools and after-school programs have implemented guidelines to reduce children’s screen use. This aligns with the recommendations from the Well-being Commission, which also encourages delaying children’s smartphone debut until age 13.
But even when the phone is put away, it still shapes children’s social interactions, says Mathias Nimgaard.
“If you’ve had a conflict with a classmate on Snapchat, that conflict carries into the classroom—even if the phone is turned off. And that’s something adults can easily overlook.”
“That’s why one of the goals of the project is to provide professionals with concrete tools they can use to support children’s well-being,” he says.
Follow the project on LinkedIn
The project is being carried out by PhD student and psychologist Mathias Nimgaard from the Center for Digital Pedagogy, in collaboration with Aarhus University, University College Copenhagen, and the think tank Mandag Morgen.
The project runs until 2028, and results will be shared on an ongoing basis—via the Center for Digital Pedagogy’s LinkedIn and website.
The Center for Digital Pedagogy is a partner in the ADD project.