Screen Time and Ethics

In so many marketing campaigns, the use of social media is stressed: engaging target audiences with opportunities to create genuine and authentic content, creating community, communicating with peers, even branded gaming. It reminded me of an Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Masters of Marketing convention I attended in 2005 or 2006 where then VP and CMO of Motorola Geoffrey Frost held up a Razr flip phone and said, “This is not a phone. It’s the tool formerly referred to as the cell phone. But it’s so much more….” He was a visionary with regards to how cell phones would be used, although I doubt he had any idea just how much impact the smart phone would have on the world. Mr. Frost sadly passed away in 2005. His legacy of the “Hello Moto” ad campaign and resurgence of the Motorola brand during that time pay tribute to his creative genius (Chief Marketer, 2005). From the Razr to the iPhone X and beyond, the smart phone has definitely changed the world – but at what expense?

I recently received a notification on my iPhone X that told me my “average screen time” had gone down to just two hours and 50 minutes average per day! JUST 2h50m! On my phone!  I had no idea I looked at it so long in the course of a day. That little fact sparked a thought about the average screen time of these millennials we are all trying so desperately to engage. And to what effect? According to Rally Health (Pandika, 2016), adults log an average of up to 11 hours a day in front of a screen. That includes computers, phones, televisions, and tablets. The positives of connection and community not-withstanding, the negative ramifications are huge: Decreased and damaged vision, loss of sleep, addiction and reward-seeking behaviors, weight gain and the increase of other health risks like diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.

Teens (under 18) have other issues to deal with from extended screen time. Beyond the lack of activity and health concerns, the lack of actual personal interaction affects self-confidence and social skills (Pandika, 2016). Additionally, emotional and personalities are deeply affected – both positively and negativity. On the plus side, video games can lower stress, boost mood and promote positive engagement. The minuses for teens include higher psychological difficulties, increased aggression and a shrinking of regions in the brain responsible for planning and executive functions including empathy, compassion, and impulse control. In short – it can be a real problem.

So, ethically, as we create plans to engage on social media and in front of screens, are we responsible for increased additions?  Is there a way to engage while encouraging face-to-face communication? Ultimately, while a campaign is not dictating behavior (positive or negative), we are trying to influence and persuade some sort of action – so where is the line?  Is it our problem or is it a personal choice? I don’t have the answers, but I do think that a healthy consideration of what we are really trying to do is worth some time in the planning stages. Being attentive to our target audience and their needs can pay dividends in the future.

References:

Pandika, M. (2017, September 26). The Unexpected Effects of All That Screen Time. Rally Health, Retrieved from https://www.rallyhealth.com/health/unexpected-effects-screen-time

The Unexpected Effects of All That Screen Time. (2005, November 22). Chief Marketer, Retrieved from https://www.chiefmarketer.com/geoffrey-frost-motorola-vp-and-cmo-dies-at-56/