The special commission on the impacts of screens on young people is also interested in… parents

Photo: Hubert Hayaud Archives Le Devoir La commission spéciale sur les impacts des écrans et des réseaux sociaux a lancé ses travaux, animée par «l’urgence» de s’entendre pour mieux encadrer l’usage des nouvelles technologies chez les jeunes.

A rare cross-party initiative in the National Assembly, the special commission on the impacts of screens and social networks on young people launched its work on Thursday, driven by the “urgency” of reaching an agreement to better supervise the use of new technologies among children… while raising awareness among their parents.

Before the parliamentarians, Emmanuelle Parent, from the Center for Emotional Intelligence Online, reported on the comments that children most often make about screen time. “Tell my parents to put down their phones. To not pick up their phones when I’m talking to them,” she reported.

Parents’ screen time can be a predictor of more screen time among young people, Ms. Parent also pointed out. “In every class we visit, young people mention that they want their parents’ attention. It’s really obvious.”

Throughout the day, the example adults set for children became a central part of the discussions. “We’re the first to use [our screens] excessively. We give ourselves very little time to disconnect,” pointed out Mélanie Laviolette of the Fédération des comités de parents du Québec (FCPQ).

In every class we visit, young people mention that they want their parents’ attention. It's really obvious.

— Emmanuelle Parent

The members of the special committee on the impacts of screens and social networks also insisted on the urgency of taking action on this issue. “I think the consensus is that there is an urgent need to do something, to look into it. […] But what exactly? ? That’s what we will have to find,” said Solidarity MNA Alexandre Leduc.

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“Since 1984, there haven’t been many special committees. […] Across all parties, we all agree that we have a societal problem and that we need to have a collective awareness,” also declared CAQ member Amélie Dionne, who chairs the committee.

In addition to Ms. Dionne and Mr. Leduc, members Enrico Ciccone of the Liberal Party and Pascal Bérubé of the Parti Québécois sit on the commission. The members are expected to publish their recommendations in May. In the meantime, they will meet with nearly forty stakeholders and tour schools across Quebec. They have not yet revealed the budget allocated to their commission.

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For parents, for children

In front of the parliamentarians, Ms. Parent gave many examples of discussions she had with young people about digital technology. Elementary school children looked for ways to avoid seeing videos of school shootings, armed conflicts or methods promoting weight loss on TikTok.

The solution to such situations may not lie, however, in imposing a digital majority, she warned. “What they [young people] want is not necessarily not to have TikTok. It’s for it to be less addictive and to be able to control the content,” she summarized. Ms. Parent stressed the importance of education and awareness, but also the importance of offering an interesting range of sports and leisure activities, to give young people options other than screens.

Mélanie Laviolette also encouraged parents to set an example. “We are the first to use [our screens] excessively. We give ourselves very little time to disconnect,” she stressed. Her organization has issued a warning about a national directive that would ban cell phones everywhere in schools. “There may be guidance provided by the ministry,” but schools must be able to choose what is best for them, said Ms. Laviolette.

Like CAQ MNA Mario Asselin, the FCPQ favours a support approach rather than banning. “We have the impression that teaching the proper use of screens, of social networks, will have more beneficial effects in the long term than simply banning them,” said Ms. Laviolette. If [young people] don’t know how to use them, we are just postponing the problem. We are not solving it at the root.” »

Ms. Parent went along the same lines. Digital majority, this minimum age to have access to certain content, can give “a false sense of security,” she said. She added that companies like Meta or ByteDance, owners of Instagram and TikTok respectively, should be “ashamed” of their practices. Representatives of these two multinationals are to participate in the work of the special commission, which continues until September 26.