Marie-Christine Levet. “The real problem isn’t how much time kids spend on screens, but what they’re doing there.”

Madame Figaro. – 76% of parents admit their kids are occupied with screens while on vacation, and 86% admit their kids will be with them this summer even though they wish they had an alternative (1). How to respond to this paradox?
Marie-Christine Levet. – Indeed, too much time on screens is not good, I would like to clarify for children and adults… But it seems to me that above all, turn this time into useful time. And to fight against this “mind numbing” in social networks, in particular Tik Tok, whose “opening” action, without any interaction, is terribly addictive. Or on games that can be very violent. Today, there are educational apps that are known to develop a child’s cognitive abilities, and on which there is only 20 minutes. I’m thinking about the PowerZ app, an educational game for 6/10 year olds that has a dreamlike visual universe and requires you to go to the next level, solve a math problem or answer questions. For toddlers, we can cite La Maternelle Montessori, developed by Edoki Academy, which teaches how to master letters and counting. Buddy.ai is great for learning languages ​​with an interactive character that adapts to the child’s level. I would also mention Duolingo, the reference for ages 10/13 and up. But also the Soft kids application related to National Education, which allows children to develop their self-confidence, their empathy… Or BayaM, the platform of the Bayard group, which offers a very complete offer. But we can also keep kids busy with Lunii, which we support; an interactive storyteller that comes in the form of a Walkman Flam for teenagers. Or listen to podcasts like those from Radio France… Watch an interesting movie, documentary…

In the face of the danger of social networks and games, which pose a risk of addiction and hinder the development of intelligence, you advocate learning…
Absolutely! We still don’t have scientific proof that for the children tested in the screen-related studies, the exposure time actually harmed their development. On the other hand, according to the latest Pisa report, which aims to test the skills of 15-year-old students in reading, science and mathematics, Editor’s note– Children who spend an hour a day on educational programs see their scores increase by 14 points.

Are you in favor of regulation of social networks?
I’m not sure we can ban them, their lobby is so powerful. So, yes, finding a European regulation seems to me essential for the youngest, even if the implementation of this type of measure is very difficult due to the protection of individual freedoms. Maybe we could control the time spent, increase the number of warnings (how old are you), limit access, etc.? But all this can already be activated with parental controls, which many parents are too lazy to install or maintain… We can also strengthen the limits offered by the iPhone, already very complete, using very effective applications like Elsie, who gets a lot. attention at this moment. Parents do have the ability to influence what their children “consume” on screens. It’s a real responsibility.

Which also often causes them a great sin of forbidding too much, as well as allowing too much…
I don’t think anyone should be made to feel guilty. But choose simple rules of education. No screens at the table, using phones again in the evening, no mobile phones until the age of 11… But this also requires parents to discipline themselves and review their habits. If they are constantly on their screens, including on train journeys or in restaurants, they are not sending the right message. Parents are the main role models for children. If a complete ban on cell phones is not the solution, nor the meaning of things, we can still show that we ourselves have a different relationship with it.

(1) Opinionway 2024 survey.