Protecting Children from Tech Addiction listening

What do you think are the signs that you are addicted to tech?
2 Listen to the first part of the report and circle the correct options in these statements:
1 Tristan Harris is a former high-level employee at Apple
/ Google / Facebook.
2 The Center for Humane Technology will seek to gather
and publish evidence of how digital devices / social
media / digital devices and social media can harm
children and young people.
3 Tristan Harris spoke about his experiences during a
conference in New York / Washington / Seattle.
4 Tristan Harris said Google was trying to build / successful in building / against
building products that created certain thoughts in users’ heads.
b Do you agree that tech companies have a “moral responsibility” not to create technology
products that can “hijack how the mind works,” or is it the user's responsibility to use the
technology wisely?
2 Say whether these statements are true or false and then listen to the next part of the
report and check your ideas:
Research suggests that a third of all teenagers feel
addicted to their mobile devices.
60 percent of parents believe their kids are addicted to
their mobile devices.
A study of eighth-graders found heavy users of technology
were 36 percent more likely to say they are unhappy.
Facebook cited research last year suggesting that social
media use can harm mental health when used in certain ways.
Last month, two major investors in Facebook raised fears about rising smartphone
addiction among young users.
Apple says the iPhone and other devices running on its mobile software already offer
controls for parents to limit or block material considered harmful.
Tristan Harris says Apple and other technology companies need to change their
current engineering and design methods to be more kid-friendly.

b Do you think tech companies will make the drastic changes Harris suggests?
2 Listen to the next part of the report and answer these questions:
1 What is Common Sense Media’s new campaign aimed at?
2 What proportion of schools in the US are already members of Common Sense Media?
3 What are the learning materials provided by the group intended to help?
4 When will Common Sense be providing even more resources to educators?
5 What does Steyer say the big question is?
b Do you think tech will play a big part in schools far into the future?
2 Listen to the final part of the report and make notes on how one school has limited
technology to improve learning.
b What do you think of the Waldorf School's approach? In your opinion, is there too much
tech used in schools where you live?
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Protecting Children from Tech Addiction
Teacher’s notes 1 student pages 1
= Use in conjunction with this week's reading: Tech Moguls with Tech-free Kids
2 Transcript
1 Former technology industry leaders are calling
for urgent measures to protect children from
smartphone addiction. Among those urging major
changes is Tristan Harris – a former high-level
employee at Google. He just launched a group that
will seek to gather and publish evidence of how
digital devices and social media can harm children
and young people. Leaders of the organization –
called the Center for Humane Technology – used
to work for major technology companies. They
hope to use this knowledge and experience to lead
a “cultural awakening” among the public about the
dangers of technology. While at Google, Harris
says he felt the company had great power over
millions of people who used its technology. He
2 The conference where Harris spoke was sponsored
by Common Sense Media, a child and family activist
group. The organization says research suggests
that half of all teenagers feel addicted to their
mobile devices, while about 60 percent of parents
believe their kids are addicted. The group also cites
a recent study of eighth-graders that found heavy
users of technology were 56 percent more likely to
say they are unhappy, while 27 percent more likely
to be depressed. Even Facebook cited research
last year suggesting that social media can harm
mental health when used in certain ways. And last
month, two major investors in Apple raised fears
about rising smartphone addiction among young
3 Common Sense Media is partnering with the Center
for Humane Technology on a new campaign aimed
at getting companies to make such changes. The
effort includes a major public information campaign
that will target schools, where research has also
shown that mobile devices can hurt the learning
process. James Steyer is the founder of Common
Sense. He says more than half of schools in the
US are already members of the organization. The
group provides teachers and parents with learning
materials intended to help students develop critical
thinking skills and balance their digital lives. Steyer
says Common Sense will be providing even more
resources to educators beginning in the new school
4 Some US schools, however, have tried to limit
or remove technology to improve learning. One
of them is in Silicon Valley, the center of the
American tech industry. The Waldorf School of the
Peninsula does not use any computers or digital
technology in its education programs up to the
seventh grade. The school’s website says while
Waldorf teachers recognize the role technology
can play in the classroom, it must wait until the
student reaches the right developmental age.
“We observe that a child’s natural, instinctive,
creative and curious way of relating to the world
listening
week of 19.02.18
low-intermediate A2+
spoke about his experiences during a conference
last week in Washington. “Never before in history
have 50, mostly men - mostly 20 to 35-year-old
engineers - in 50 miles of exactly one place on
earth, shaped what a billion people - really two
billion - think, feel and do, and who they relate
to.” He said Google was successful in building
products that created certain thoughts in users’
heads. “Whatever you're thinking is first, and then
you choose out of the thoughts you have, because
thought precedes action,” he said. Harris says he
believes companies like Google, Facebook and
Apple have a “moral responsibility” not to create
technology products that can “hijack how the mind
works.”
users. In an open letter, the investors urged the
iPhone maker to offer more choices and tools
to help children fight addiction to devices. Such
action “is both good business and the right thing
to do,” the letter said. In response, Apple said the
iPhone and other devices running on its mobile
software already offer controls for parents to limit
or block material considered harmful. But Tristan
Harris says Apple and other technology companies
need to go much further - and actually change
their current engineering and design methods - to
be more kid-friendly. “I see this as, this is game
over, unless we change course. Really, genuinely,
I 100 percent believe that.”
year next fall. “And you know what’s going to be in
there? Stuff about addiction, how to prevent digital
addiction. Stuff about digital manipulation. I actually
think if you tell kids how they're being manipulated,
it will change their relationship with technology.”
Most education experts believe technology will
remain in schools far into the future. Steyer says
the big question is, how will this ever-changing
technology be used in schools going forward. “And
are we going to educate the teachers, the students
and their parents about the thoughtful, ethical use
of those platforms and the software? That's the
whole challenge ahead for us.”
may be repressed when technology is introduced
into learning environments at an early age,” the
website says. When students reach high school,
they are allowed to use computers and digital tools
in the classroom. There are many independent
Waldorf Schools throughout North America. The
schools center heavily on hands-on learning and
aim to teach skills in “creativity and innovative
thinking.” They also place importance on students
developing “social and emotional intelligence” as
part of the educational experience.