Emerging Needs for Minimizing Negative Effects of Technology Overuse among Children

In the current era of digitization and multi-media communication, Romania is the land of technological contrast: we have almost the highest connectivity in Europe, but we are the last at digital competencies, use of the Internet and digitization of the economy. Through smart phones Internet data consumption is growing exponentially, especially among children and younger, but is lacking the education for a healthy and responsible consumption. The studies about the effects of technology overuse on children prove negative effects on their development: decrease of cognitive, learning and communication capacities, of their self-control, emotional intelligence and empathy, or even worth, psychiatric problems may occur, such as anxiety, depression, social phobia and addiction. Within the Romanian educational system the school counselor teachers are in the forefront, being the first professionals who can promote within schools relevant information for preventing such negative effects among children, parents and teachers. This paper will address the issue of increased and uncontrolled use of technology among Romanian children and younger through the lentils of data gathered from European and Romanian sociological research studies, but also from the Bucharest school counselors’ teachers’ activity reports. The aim is to prove the vicious link between the pupils increased technology consumption and the lack of information regarding the healthy use of it between all the responsible adults, parents and teachers alike. The negative effects of Internet and digital technology are real and are already affecting children development and school counseling could and should be the first solution for minimizing them.