Protection, in reverse

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Protection, in reverse

Published: 29 Apr. 2025, 00:05

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Kim Gyue-ul

The author is a writer and book YouTuber.

When giving lectures on books and reading, I often find myself sharing memories from childhood. How much I loved the “Greek and Roman Mythology” comic book series, how heartbreaking it was to read “Nuriya, Nuriya” (2002) in the school library, how thrilling it felt to stay up all night with “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” (2000) — and how fortunate I was that all of this happened without a smartphone in my hand. It meant I was spared the cringeworthy fate of, say, snapping selfies of myself crying over a book or posting letters written in full emotional immersion to fictional characters.

In this photo taken in 2002, children flock to bookstores to read their favorite comic books - ″Tell Me a Creepy Story!″ was one of them. [JOONGANG ILBO]

But in truth, the story is a little more serious than just a few embarrassing memories. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, in his 2024 book “The Anxious Generation,” explores the profound damage caused by children's exposure to smartphones. His argument is clear: Children today are overprotected in the physical world but underprotected online. Physical play and exploration — activities essential for developing the body and mind — have been curtailed in the name of safety, while smartphones, which affect the development of the prefrontal cortex, remain largely unchecked. In light of how humans have always lived — moving their bodies, forming communities — the current situation is completely upside down. The consequences are severe: Mental health is deteriorating rapidly, social isolation is increasing, attention spans are eroding and the risk of addiction is rising.

It is a welcome development that Instagram last year began restricting users younger than 14 and imposing activity limits on accounts belonging to teens 14 to 18. After all, we restrict minors from alcohol and tobacco because of their harmful effects on development. By the same logic, smartphones and social media should be no exception. Children must be protected from the quantification of their self-worth through likes and instead be given opportunities to learn through real-world adventures, failures, negotiations and triumphs. Ideally, they should be spared the fate of leaving their most awkward moments visible to the entire world.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.