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Hugh Grant also feels annoyed by his kids' amount of time spent on screens.
The actor criticized the tech sector's impact on education, likening it to a "drug cartel" during
a webinar
sponsored by Close Screens, Open Minds, a parental organization that expresses concerns over the increasing incorporation of digital technology in educational settings, as stated in their Instagram description.
Grant, whose kids include Tabitha who’s 13, John aged 12, Felix at 11, Lulu at 9, and Blue at 6, vehemently criticized "Big Tech" for the alleged "abduction" of younger generations. He highlighted behaviors he has noticed with his own children as evidence.
Comparing the technology sector to a "drug cartel peddling their products to kids," Grant commented, "It appears that far too many schools are acting as though they're welcoming these drug cartels lurking near the school entrances with an offer of cookies and asking how they can assist them." He believes this stance is incorrect and fundamentally flawed.
Grant disclosed that his mother worked as a teacher for three decades, a profession he characterized as challenging.
I have great interest in teachers; I feel very empathetic towards them," stated Grant. "I witnessed her endure immense suffering in all ways possible. It's clear to me that teaching is an incredibly challenging profession, and I view the work of educators as nothing short of heroic.
Seeing our kids go through such terrible suffering has been extremely disheartening as we watch Big Tech take over their lives, making it incredibly challenging for them to engage fully with activities not involving screens," remarked Grant, noting that numerous children tend to flock towards screens immediately upon availability, "This situation is both instant and tragic.
Grant outlined common disputes between parents and children regarding technology usage.
"Or, if you take them on an enjoyable excursion, before long – around six minutes... maybe at 20 minutes in, perhaps by 45 minutes into it, they’ll be asking, 'Can we go home now? Can we go home now?' ... Since they get
so
Desperate to return to a screen," stated Grant. "The tiring aspect of parenting, particularly in such situations, continues year after year... constantly battling with the kids: 'No, no, no, give that back,' or 'We agreed you could use your device for only 20 minutes on Saturdays but now you've spent half an hour.' It goes on endlessly like this: explaining why one child gets more screen time than another—because they're allowed unlimited access—and it can be really disheartening.
Grant mentioned that numerous students utilize the Chromebooks provided by the school for their homework or in-class assignments.
It was incredibly shocking and disheartening when you receive emails from the school—or the new one where you've enrolled your child—boasting proudly, 'Each of our students receives their very own Chromebook or iPad.' And then you can’t help but wonder, 'Really? How does that possibly make sense?' When education is meant to be,
anything
, certainly they deserve six hours away from their obsession, from this wild obsession.
Grant mentions that he has been against the widespread use of technology in schools, particularly in the institutions where his own children study.
"When I argue with schools about this issue, they frequently respond by saying, 'Sure, sure, but these devices come with limitations; we use excellent software so students can only focus on their studies and not engage in anything else,'” explained Grant. "However, what we've observed informally is that the top priority for schoolchildren seems to be collaborating with peers—whether face-to-face or through digital means—to figure out ways to bypass those restrictions—and they excel at doing just that," he added.
Grant proposed that it is impossible to limit all the possible functionalities of a device.
Jonathan Haidt, who works as a professor at New York University and has written "
The Nervous Youth: The Major Overhaul of Growing Up Is Fueling a Rise in Mental Health Issues
"took part in the webinar." Haidt has researched the adverse effects of smartphone usage among children and advocated for reducing technological exposure to support young people's mental well-being.
When we provide children with multifunctional gadgets capable of performing countless tasks, they will inevitably use them for purposes other than what we intend," Haidt stated during the webinar. "No matter how many limitations you impose, it turns into an ongoing battle between parents and children — much like the one we face at home.
Haidt disregarded the typical recommendations often suggested regarding children and screen time: "Have conversations with your child," "Determine which applications are beneficial for them," and setting "usage limitations."
It’s not effective," stated Haidt. "Nobody seems to have success with this...once children get hooked, and they're quite resourceful...they will dedicate themselves to discovering loopholes.
Haidt suggests that even if a student cannot access certain websites at school, they might still manage to view this content elsewhere, like at home, and return with their device intact. "Blocking you at school does not stop your access entirely," he implies.
getting
He mentioned, 'Heads up, but it’s fine whether you're already on top of it or not.'
Tackling the "elephant in the room," Grant proposed that letting children use computers could provide teachers with some respite.
Thinking about his mother’s work as a teacher, Grant commented, "She didn’t just slave away... but she would carry heavy loads of textbooks back and forth... enormous quantities meant for manual grading at night after preparing dinner and everything else — it was quite tough. Do you think part of the resistance from schools stems from convenience, since it might reduce the amount of work teachers have to handle?"
“If that holds true,” Grant continued, “We must approach it with empathy as well as concern.”
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