The gift of technical literacy: researchers advise educating children this holiday season

Researchers at SFU’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT) urge parents and guardians to educate their children on the potential risks associated with biowearable technology devices when gifting this holiday season.

Biowearable technology devices, or biowearables, are interactive smart devices worn on-body, such as smart watches and fitness trackers. Although biowearables can provide significant benefits to children, the lack of involvement of children in research and development has led to concerns about unintended and negative impacts.

“While issues of data security and privacy are often in the headlines, the unforeseen and invisible impacts of biowearables on children’s developing sense of identity, self-esteem and self-efficacy have not been on most people’s radar,” says SIAT professor Alissa Antle, who researches the interaction between children and interactive technologies.

Biowearables monitor, assess and provide feedback on a user’s physiological and psychological processes and states which can impact developing children and youth in a variety of ways.  

For example, norms for physical activity and body targets are embedded in smart watches and fitness trackers which can pose a risk to children whose bodies may not fit these norms as they are still growing and maturing.

“If a child’s tracker tells them they are not exercising enough or they are eating too much, this might negatively impact their development of self-esteem and sense of competency, since most children do not realize the changing needs of their bodies as they develop,” says Alexandra Kitson, a postdoctoral researcher working with Antle.

The researchers argue these devices are often designed from the perspective of an affluent, active, adult male, around goals of enhanced performance or productivity, which may not be applicable to children.

“Adult users have different goals and life concerns,” says Kitson. “Long-term use by children can have negative motivational consequences as they try to meet fitness goals that do not match their current needs.”

Overall, biowearables can impact a child’s identity formation, their development of autonomy and agency, and what sources of information they rely on.

The researchers recommend technical literacy education which involves children learning about potential impacts of digital technologies to better understand the issues they may face as well as the benefits they may offer.

“It is critical that families have conversations about both positive and potential negative impacts, just like they would about other forms of media, technologies and experiences,” urges Antle.

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Read Antle and Kitson’s research: 1,2,3,4 Tell Me How to Grow More: A Position Paper on Children, Design Ethics and Biowearables

Read Antle's op-ed in the Conversation: This season, give the gift of tech literacy — not addiction — along with that device

SFU’s Scholarly Impact of the Week: To design a more ethical app, consider youth well-being

Technical literacy: Conversation starters for families about biowearables