Teens Are Falling Out of Love with Tech?

Across schools in the USA, teenagers are increasingly disengaging with classroom technology, especially school Chromebooks that they use for daily assignments. This shift has become more noticeable in recent years, mostly driven by the growing awareness that their online activity can be monitored by schools.

Thus, students have begun to question why these devices are used, and if their right to personal privacy is necessary. Many students took action, such as Schromm, who is 17 and a senior in California. Schromm sent the entire student body an email that included a survey for their peers about restrictions and non privacy on school-issued Chromebook. Among the respondents of the survey, 90 percent of them agreed with the statement “Being required to use a device that is explicitly ‘not private’ makes me uncomfortable.” The evidence shows that a very large majority of respondents feel uneasy about using devices that are not private.

But despite this, teenagers’ feelings about technology are mixed, and on artificial intelligence, depending on the survey, teenagers are somewhat more positive than negative about what they expect will be the societal impact of A.I. over the next 20 years, though they also feel a lot of uncertainty. (Jessica Grose)

In my opinion, students should have their own privacy on these devices. This gives them space for curiosity, and if they know their searches, messages or documents could be monitored at anytime, that exploration becomes constrained. In the all-seeing eye of GoGuardian, teenagers’ every action has no expectation for privacy. But on the other hand, I don’t agree with the use of artificial intelligence, (AI), mostly because students would depend on them for long-term use, eroding critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills, as automated homework or test solutions has became more common in nowadays.

Many people argue that students shouldn’t have privacy on school devices primarily due to their safety, security, and more focus on academic projects instead of playing games or using unhealthy applications during class time. Other people also engage the use of AI for more efficiency and can solve more complex problems in less time. But with privacy on school-issued Chromebooks, students may explore more ideas, engage in creative problems, and create a safe space for personal growth. For example, they could experiment with new art projects, or collaborate on innovative science experiments. In contrast, the increasing use of AI in daily life could harm adolescents’ mental health. For instance, excessive reliance on AI-generated content may reduce critical thinking.

In conclusion, students should have more freedom in school devices instead of being monitored outside of instructional time, but the users of artificial intelligence should be decreased to protect their mental and physical health.