Digital Marketing and the Implications of Screen Time Limits
By: Jessica Swarm, Account Executive at Boston University’s PRLab
As we move further into the digital age, Americans are spending more time than ever before staring at screens. Smartphones and tablets and unlimited data plans have increased the ease of access to the internet. According to a 2018 Nielsen study, the average adult in the United States spends more than 11 hours per day consuming media, whether it be reading, watching, or listening. Three hours and 48 minutes a day are spent on computers, tablets, and smartphones. All of this time spent online has created new opportunities for marketers looking to reach their target audiences. Over the last two decades, digital and social media have revolutionized the marketing industry.
The widespread connectivity, coupled with the development and expansion of social media, that is now so profound in society is still a relatively new advancement. Digital platforms have created new and more effective methods for businesses to reach their consumers. SEO, social media, and content marketing are just a few examples of ways in which businesses and brands are attracting and interacting with their audiences online. And yet, there still seems to be room for enormous growth.
While most of these advancements have brought great benefits to society, there is still a lot that we don’t know about digital media and its effects. A lot of research has been done on the effects of screen time on children. It is recommended that parents limit the amount of time their children spend in front of screens. But what about the effects of screen time on adults? It’s no secret that Americans are spending nearly half of the day tuned into media, and researchers are using these insights to study the long-term effects of digital device usage.
Anyone who spends their day staring at a computer is probably familiar with the vision effects associated with extensive screen time. According to a 2014 Nielsen report, common symptoms of “computer vision syndrome” include blurry vision, eye strain, dry eyes, and headaches. Studies also link prolonged use of digital devices to more sleep disturbances and a decrease in overall health. Most of the time spent on screens is done sitting down, and this can lead to weight gain and other associated diseases.
As the discussion of the negative effects of screen time continues to gain momentum, one company in particular has taken the initiative to help people assess their habits. Apple’s iOS 12 software update, released in June 2018, included a toolkit to help Apple customers understand and take control of their time spent on their devices. The new features include activity reports, app limits, and scheduled downtime. The activity report is easily accessible and breaks down usage by most used apps, how frequently users pick up their device, and how many notifications they receive from each app throughout the day.
Apple users can set limits on apps differentiated by category. The time limit can also be customized for every day of the week. This feature allows individuals to limit their use of social networking, games, entertainment, or even productivity. Downtime can also be scheduled to ensure time is spent away from the screen. During downtime, only certain apps and phone calls will be available.
While Apple’s decision to equip individuals with tools to limit their use of the company’s own products is profound, it is not the only company taking this risk. Android offers its customers similar tools with its Digital Wellbeing feature. But how will this push toward screen time reduction impact the reach of digital marketing? As adults become more aware of the negative side-effects of screen exposure, and gain more control over their own usage, marketers will have to find new ways to reach their audience. Going forward, it will be interesting to see just how great the desire to decrease time spent on devices is amongst consumers, and whether or not we’ll see a decrease in time spent online for the first time in several years.