Should screen time be restricted?

By Flynn E.

A siren sounds every night at 7 pm in Mohityache Vadgaon village in India, informing 3,000 people that screen time has started. Then at 8:30 pm, the siren goes off again to inform the residents that screen time is over. Village leaders put this system in place so young people could work on homework and not be distracted by texting their friends or scrolling through social media, according to The Times of India, an English-language daily paper in India. However some say that they shouldn't be told when to put down their devices; rather, they should be able to decide for themselves. What do you think? Should screen time be restricted?

Yes, screen time should be restricted.

Screens are great but they are also designed by tech companies to be super appealing and often addicting, according to The Week Junior. This makes people have  a hard time putting screens down, so limiting minutes and hours can make people be more disciplined. Even though people often use their devices to send a text message or call a family member, it doesn't compare to seeing someone in the real world.

No, people can manage it on their own.

People use their devices for good more often than bad. People use their devices for calling a great aunt or a friend that has moved so their devices increase their human connections. People can use their devices to find answers about questions or access great works of art, literature and music. Why restrict that? Besides, most people naturally take screen breaks like grabbing a snack or taking a break to exercise. They're capable of judging how much screen time is too much.

In conclusion people can use their screens to do good or bad; it depends on how they choose to use that privilege. Both sides of these arguments are reasonable, what side are you on?