Children and Digital Technology: A Study of Benefits, Drawbacks, and Early safeguarding Mechanisms

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the dual impact of digital technology on children, highlighting the positive aspects and potential risks in light of the rapid technological development. On the positive side, digital technology provides unprecedented educational opportunities and fosters creativity and cognitive development. However, the study reveals that there are significant risks that require child protection, especially with excessive and unsupervised use. The most prominent results indicate that prolonged exposure to screens may lead to sleep disorders, that inappropriate content affects social skills, and that unsafe virtual environments involve cybersecurity risks, and the absence of effective parental control plays a role in exacerbating these negative effects, which may reach the point of behavioral addiction, but nevertheless, the study confirms that responsible use with the application of appropriate protection measures can make the most of the educational and creative advantages of

 this technology, with Minimize risk. The study recommends the need for concerted efforts of the family, school and community to ensure the safe and meaningful use of technology, with a focus on developing awareness programs for children and parents, developing legislative controls that protect children in the digital space, and promoting meaningful educational content that suits their age stages and developmental needs.