A former teacher has warned that the internet may create a societal divide between those who use it frequently and those who do not.
Mike Bonitatibus, 38, who now works as a sales professional in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, spent 14 years as a health and physical education teacher. His experience in the classroom inspired him to create a video that has since gone viral, amassing more than 627,000 views.
In the video, Bonitatibus said, "We are about to see a split in society, and I don't mean anything political." He went on to discuss a growing gap between children raised with unfiltered internet access from birth and those whose screen time was carefully moderated by their parents.
He told Newsweek: "I regularly encountered students engrossed in their devices. I didn't feel like a teacher anymore because kids were always more interested in being on a device than talking or learning."
He added: "More recently, I noticed how many kids had iPads in social settings like restaurants and events. As I considered leaving the teaching profession, I became increasingly aware of the larger trend; many educators across the nation were facing similar challenges.
"A noticeable lack of discipline and consequences in schools, combined with many students being emotionally unregulated and unfocused, were significant concerns."
As a teacher, Bonitatibus was made aware of "troubling stories" from students who were exposed to inappropriate content on social media. He said devices made teaching challenging.
"Students often struggled to concentrate and displayed a resistance to authority," he added. "This marked shift in behavior not only impacted their learning but also raised alarm bells for me regarding their social development."
How Do Phones Affect Development?
A U.S. survey shared by Statista found that tablet usage among children rose from 68 percent in March 2020 to 81 percent in April 2021—driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated remote learning and online socializing. By 2021, 71 percent of children under 11 were also using smartphones.
Bonitatibus said: "In my observation, children who grow up with moderated internet access tend to develop stronger social skills, better discipline, and the ability to remain focused on tasks.
"In contrast, those raised with unrestricted access to devices often find social interactions difficult and may exhibit more defiance and disrespect. It was concerning to see previously respectful students conforming to a culture of disengagement and disrespect toward authority figures."
Who Is More Likely to Face Challenges in the Future?
Bonitatibus said both groups would face challenges. However, "iPad kids" may have "more significant difficulties."
"With many children now experiencing unfiltered internet access, families with established boundaries may struggle to connect with those who lack them," he added.
He said iPad kids may struggle to navigate real-world situations, "leading to an inflated sense of entitlement due to the absence of boundaries."
The former teacher continued: "My overall message in the video is that there is a solution: emotional intelligence. We need more and more adults to know and understand their emotions better so they can better handle the emotional issues going on.
"If more parents become aware of the dangers of unfiltered internet and seek out help in therapy or emotional intelligence coaching, it could go a long way."
Studies suggest that increased screen time may hinder development: Greater screen time at 24 months predicts poorer developmental test performance at 36 months, and higher screen time at 36 months correlates with lower scores at 60 months.
A Balanced Approach to Technology in Parenting
Parenting coach Liat Hughes Joshi hopes technology isn't demonized, as it's an increasing part of our lives.
The author of six parenting books, including How to Unplug Your Child, told Newsweek that internet access could be beneficial.
She said: "We need to be having more nuanced conversations, not just about quantity of tech use but quality. Educational activities such as learning to code or picking up a foreign language for example, or playing chess online. Carefully used, the internet can also be a place to find emotional support and advice if they're experiencing a difficult situation, such as being bullied.
"Clearly, we're all pretty well-versed on the myriad bad things the internet can introduce into their lives, but by having a more balanced conversation with our kids, which acknowledges that it's not all bad, they're actually more likely to listen to us and our advice around safer internet usage."
TikTok Reacts
Bonitatibus' video has received more than 4,000 comments, with teachers weighing in with their experiences.
"It's really obvious in my classroom now. The tech kids have no depth, empathy, imagination, or motivation. It's sad really," one viewer wrote.
"As a high school teacher, I already see it in my classes. I could pretty much divide my class up by those who've had a lot of screen time versus those who haven't," another added.
Bonitatibus asked the user, "How would you describe the kids on each side of the room?"
She responded: "Their attention spans, ability to problem solve, and how they spend their unstructured time. They are either glued to a device or find other ways to spend their time (games, puzzles, talking to peers)."
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