The TechnoLife Wise Foundation, a South African non-profit organisation that raises awareness of the harmful effects of the overuse of technology on children, has joined leading lawyers, physicists, medical doctors, child health experts, and epidemiologists to become a signatory to a new international declaration to protect children’s rights in our digital era.
The International Declaration on the Human Rights of Children in the Digital Age builds on the 1959 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child and will be delivered in person to the organisation on World Children’s Day on 20 November.
This declaration is centred around children’s rights to be free from addictive platforms and apps, hazardous non-ionising radiation from wireless devices, and commercial exploitation of private information.
According to Dr Marlena Kruger, founder of the TechnoLife Wise Foundation and digital well-being and health expert, the organisation isoverjoyed that this vital matter is finally going to receive the attention it deserves from international decision-makers and influencers. “We trust that the South African government and other stakeholders will sit up, take notice and change their behaviours to protect our children from harm.
“Since its inception in 2017, the Technolife Wise has worked tirelessly to make South Africans aware of the various dangers related to the internet of things and wireless technology, and the detrimental effect on healthy, balanced development and well-being. Although we have made some inroads, we find that parents, caregivers, educators and others in positions of authority in our country still turn a blind eye to the dangers. It could be that they don’t know enough or that they don’t believe that this digital era has a downside. Or they simply do not know how they will keep their children busy without a screen. The other trend we have noticed is that parents feel their children will not keep pace with the digital age if they are not exposed to it.”
However, the evidence against wireless technology, social media, gaming, the internet of things, and screens are beginning to stack up. It is time to act and say no to digital addiction and all its associated negative consequences and yes to real life.
“We want to once again appeal to those parents and caregivers who have their children’s best interest and health at heart, to take action,” says Dr Kruger. “You can do this by signing the declaration and taking the Wait until Grade 8 challenge on our website. And while you are on the site, you’ll also find helpful information to empower yourself and in doing so protecting your children.”