Anxieties around kids and tech – should parents worry about ‘screen time’?

In October 2024, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) played host to the fifth public seminar in the Digital Child x ACMI seminar series.

The ‘Screen time anxieties: Changing the conversation around kids and tech’ seminar brought together three experts from various backgrounds for a dynamic discussion around ‘screen time’ guidelines and how those impact and fit into the reality of everyday family life.

Panellists Dr Billy Garvey from Guiding Growing Minds and the popular ‘Pop Culture Parenting’ podcast, Fiona Holder from Playgroup Victoria and Daniel Donahoo from Project Rockit each shared their views on how parents and caregivers can navigate the public discussion and advice around children and technology, when conflicting advice and information is often framed as critical to their child’s health and future.

“The event was a great chance to explore the pressures and expectations that are often bound up in talking about kids and screens,” said Dr Kate Mannell, event convener and panel chair. “And also to experiment with a different kind of conversation that starts from really trying to understand families in all their diversity, before thinking about what technology use means in each family context.”

“Drawing on their personal and professional experiences, each of the panellists really demonstrated what a more family-centred, empathetic, nuanced conversation around kids and tech could look like.”

To view the seminar recording, visit the Digital Child YouTube channel here.

For other seminars in the series, visit here.