The First Generation Completely Dependent on Technology: What Makes Them So Different?

Photo from Pexels by Tracy Le Blanc

Danica Joyner

The 2000s to 2010s were a vivid time for most of Gen Z. This generation grew up with Hannah Montana, the talking orange, and electro-dance music–all of which broke the internet. The newest generation, starting in 2010 and ending in 2025, is called Gen Alpha. This new generation is growing up with an advancing world of technology, whereas past generations did not. 

This world of technology creates a dependence in the new generation that was not seen before. Gen Alpha is hyperconnected, meaning these children are permanently connected to devices. This leads to reduced attention spans and lack of concentration because they are used to using multiple screens and quickly scanning for information. They will also arguably have fewer social skills than older generations because they spend most of their time online, whether they’re inside or outside. This reduces the time they have for learning, playing, and socializing in the traditional ways previous generations have. Gen Alpha is living life almost 100% online. Due to this, Gen Alpha children have less development of creativity and imagination because they are not playing with physical toys, but instead playing on phones, computers, and consoles. 

As well as lowered cognitive skills, Gen Alpha will almost certainly continue the upward trend in depression rates. According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 sky-rocketed the depression rates in many teens and young adults worldwide. There were many causes of these increasing rates, some of which had to deal with the fact that these teens were learning online through a computer screen and had to be inside all day. There were fewer in-person social interactions and more screen time during lockdown. Gen Alpha grew up in this environment during their crucial development period of cognitive skills, such as social interaction, learning tactics in class, work ethic, etc. Because these children grew up in an environment where everything was online, they developed a dependence on it. As a result, Gen Alpha experiences a reduced ability to achieve happiness. 

There is a distinct link between an increase in screen time and social media use and an increase in depression and anxiety rates. In the article, Does Social Media Use Cause Depression?, the author claimed, “Some experts see the rise in depression as evidence that the connections social media users form electronically are less emotionally satisfying, leaving them feeling socially isolated” (Miller, n.d.). Kids are exposed to the lies of social media where people post photoshopped pictures, lie about their accomplishments, and show off materialistic items. While Gen Z experienced this as well, they experienced this at a later age. Most Gen Z didn’t get phones or social media until late middle school or high school. Gen Alpha has been exposed to these social media lies before they reach middle school. In 2015, the number of 10-year-olds who had smartphones was 19%, and in 2021, it was 42%. By the age of 14, 91% of kids had a smartphone in 2021, compared to only 59% in 2015 (At What Age Do Kids Start Getting Smartphones?, 2022). With the increasing amount of kids owning smartphones, they won’t experience the reality of life and realize that it’s very different from what’s online. With constant access to social media, kids will be comparing themselves to celebrities and others. This will cause lower feelings of self-worth and confidence, also leading to increased depression rates. 

In addition, constant access to social media allows for an increase in cyberbullying. Since kids are communicating through a screen, they are more willing to say hurtful things because they are not confronting the person in real life, which is another reason for these rising depression rates. Since these kids are growing up with the ability to bully through a screen with little-to-no repercussions, this trend may spread into these kids saying those things in person.

However, not all hope is lost for this new generation. With better parenting methods and education that teach kids more hands-on learning and incorporate activities that don’t use screens, the negative effects of technology use can be reduced. For example, parents implementing a screen time limit at a young age, encouraging more time outside, and teaching their kids time management will allow their child to fill their time with other activities off of a screen and develop good habits so they’ll be able to make more of their own decisions and be more independent and productive later in life. More hands-on tasks and free time off of a screen let kids be more creative and curious. Developing those behaviors early on will carry on throughout their lives and be beneficial to their social skills and work ethic. 

Works Cited

“At What Age Do Kids Start Getting Smartphones?” Marketing Charts, 25 April 2022, https://www.marketingcharts.com/demographics-and-audiences/teens-and-younger-225502. Accessed 16 January 2023.

“COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide.” World Health Organization (WHO), 2 March 2022, https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19-pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide. Accessed 16 January 2023.

Miller, Caroline. “Does Social Media Use Cause Depression?” Child Mind Institute, https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/. Accessed 16 January 2023.