From Moral Panic to Systemic Change: Making Child-Centered Design the Default

Area of Science:

• Digital Media Studies
• Child Development
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Public Policy

Background:

• Current discourse on children's digital media use often centers on 'screen time,' placing responsibility on individual users and families.
• This individualistic approach can lead to intensive parenting strategies and inequities in accessing beneficial digital content.
• Existing frameworks may not effectively drive population-level change or address the systemic factors influencing children's media experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for a shift from individual responsibility to systemic approaches in understanding and managing children's digital media use.
• To highlight digital platforms as crucial intervention points for creating child-centered digital environments.
• To propose policy and research directions that encourage platforms to prioritize children's wellbeing.

Main Methods:

• This is a vision article, presenting an argument and framework rather than empirical data collection.
• It analyzes existing research and discourse on children's digital media consumption.
• It proposes a conceptual shift towards platform-level interventions and policy recommendations.

Main Results:

• Platforms are key determinants of children's digital experiences and serve as ideal points for systemic intervention.
• Child-centered design as a default on platforms can improve children's experiences and alleviate parental gatekeeping burdens.
• Systemic approaches focusing on platform design are more likely to achieve population-level positive change than individual-focused strategies.

Conclusions:

• Policies should encourage platforms to adopt child-centered design principles as the default user interface.
• Research should focus on measuring and optimizing platforms for child wellbeing.
• Evidence-based guidance is needed for industry to design digital ecosystems that serve children's best interests.