Khaberni - Educational and psychological experts warned of the growing phenomenon of children using smartphones and tablets without family supervision, pointing out that these practices expose children to serious psychological and behavioral risks, especially with the spread of electronic games containing content inappropriate for their ages.
A recent Jordanian study, which included 807 parents, revealed that 61.3% of children use smart devices alone without any supervision or follow-up from parents, reflecting a wide digital gap within Jordanian families.
In this context, Vice President of Hashemite University, Professor Sadiq Shdeifat, emphasized that "family supervision is no longer an optional choice but has become an urgent educational necessity to protect children in the digital space," noting that children at a young age do not have the sufficient capacity to distinguish between useful and harmful content, making the follow-up of parents to their browsing history and search archives a fundamental preventive measure.
Shdeifat added that "setting clear rules for the use of devices, such as determining usage times and making use of parental control tools, contributes to reducing digital risks and gives parents a greater ability to guide their children," highlighting that this follow-up can turn into an educational opportunity to enhance family dialogue about safe technology use.
For his part, the Assistant President of Zarqa Private University, Professor Reda Al-Mawas, said that the danger of some electronic games lies in their "deceptive nature, where their cartoon design and attractive colors may encourage children to try them without realizing the true nature of their content and their intense psychological impact."
Al-Mawas explained that the game "Doki Doki Literature Club," for example, suddenly shifts from a calm story to a dark drama addressing complex psychological topics, including sudden horror scenes containing visually shocking and frightening shots that appear without prior warning, along with discussions of ideas related to severe depression and anxiety, and scenes that clearly refer to suicide and self-harm.
Al-Mawas called on parents and educators to monitor the digital content consumed by their children, ensuring the selection of games that match the child's age group and psychological resilience.
In this context, the experts recalled warnings from the Public Security Directorate about the potential risks of this game, noting that exposure to such content may cause fear, anxiety, and stress in children and adolescents, affecting their psychological and life behavior.
The Directorate urged parents to prevent or download this game on smartphones and electronic devices, monitor all downloads and views, and enhance the dialogue with children about the safe use of the internet and electronic games.
From his side, the Professor of Early Childhood at Al-Balqa Applied University, Dr. Zaid Al-Kurdi, stated that "the early childhood stage is one of the most sensitive stages in shaping a child's personality," warning that excessive reliance on digital devices could reduce opportunities for social interaction and free play, which are essential elements in a child's cognitive and emotional growth.
Al-Kurdi explained that "the problem does not lie in the presence of technology itself, but in the nature of its use," urging parents to actively participate and follow up and understand the type of content the child is exposed to, rather than just limiting the duration of use.
On the psychological side, Dr. Hanan Al-Amri emphasized that "a child who spends long hours in front of the screen without guidance lives in a virtual world beyond his age capacity to understand and analyze," pointing to recent psychological studies linking excessive use of devices with higher stress levels, sleep disorders, and lack of concentration in children.
She added that "the danger becomes even more apparent when children are exposed to digital games or challenges with psychological pressure dimensions," especially in the absence of family follow-up.
In turn, Dr. Nour Abdul Ghani described the spread of smartphones among children as "a worrying phenomenon that requires a serious stance from parents and society," emphasizing that "leaving a child for long hours in front of a phone screen without supervision not only exposes them to digital addiction but may also open the door to content that is not suitable for their age."
Abdul Ghani noted that official warnings about some electronic games reveal the magnitude of the challenge facing parents amid the widespread use of smart devices among children, where it is no longer just digital entertainment, but can directly affect the child's psyche and behavior.
In conclusion, the experts unanimously pointed out in their discussion with the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that protecting children in the digital era does not mean depriving them of technology, but rather accompanying them in it with awareness and responsibility, through monitoring, dialogue, teaching digital safety skills to children, setting clear and balanced usage times, and promoting alternative activities such as reading and sports that develop the child's skills and fortify them intellectually and psychologically
