To tell you iPads are actually good for kids

[PennyRa]

This is something I researched extensively for my thesis in technology and education. iPads, tablets, phones, they all show positive effects on their development. Yes, including social.

I've seen a lot of anti screens on here recently but there is nothing wrong with kids in buggys on tablets, kids in cafes on iPads.

There are obviously caveats, some content is bad. It's on a scale but it's easy to see; a child playing Duolingo is vastly better than candy crush, a child watching How it's made is vastly better than cocomelon. Also the content needs to be locked and monitored for safety. However, tailored content can be better than a teacher.

So you aren’t providing any actual evidence then @PennyRa

As a research scientist you expect us to believe the opinion of a randomer on the internet simply because you claim to have done credible research (with no evidence of this).

sure that’s definitely how critical thinking and science communication works!

So we're still waiting for a single link to support the OP's research then?

Umm... yes and no. There are numerous educational apps which are excellent. However, leave kids to it and all they do is play Candy Crush and watch mindless Youtube.

So we're still waiting for a single link to support the OP's research then?
We are indeed.

I'd be interested to hear what groundbreaking conclusions they've drawn that show it's simple when the consensus in the field tends to be, or was a few years ago when I did a professional project on it, that it's a complex topic and there's wider social factors to consider as well.

I bet OP has no thesis, no links, no research to share. Just wanted an interesting thread to watch.

Ah well, I've enjoyed it, so thanks for that at least. But I would still love to read your hypothesis, methods, inclusions, exclusions, limitations, evidence, discussion, etc, you know, when you're ready to "dox" yourself.

Professor Przybylski at Oxford is one of the lead researchers in this area who actually uses robust protocols. He has tended to find that correlation (between various screen time activities and desired outcomes) is generally positive, but small.
E.g.
www.nature.com/articles/s41562-018-0506-1

My son was in hospital just under a month with a broken leg and then immobile at home for a further 4 weeks. We relied on a phone for those 8 weeks to keep us all sane... however, at the end of it I could see how addicted he had become. We had huge tantrums and screaming fits. He stopped wanting to play as he used to and would be hunting around the house for the phone. We have since decided that we do not like the behaviour the devices caused and have now heavily restricted it. I do not see there benefit at all, apart from entertaining an immobile young child.