https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/08/17/14/39/social-media-419944_1280.png A group of at least 60 various researchers, psychologists, and children's advocates from the United States, have come together to try and influence the [American Psychological Association](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/advocates-condemn-psych-techniques-used-040223307.html) to condemn the various psychological techniques that they say are being employed to try and keep children addicted to their screens today. The different specialists are working with the *Children's Screen Time Action Network* and they've recently published a letter that's addressed to the APA. Those advocates are backing up their concerns with a myriad of studies that have previously suggested that there are links to be found between excessive screen time and depression, academic difficulty, and more. https://media.giphy.com/media/ZYS3RxCzGN54Y/giphy.gif Not all of the research on video gaming or social media is negative however, and just because someone might enjoy playing video games doesn't mean they aren't productive, aren't intelligent, that they have poor health, or [are anti-social etc](https://steemit.com/technology/@doitvoluntarily/game-over-for-the-loner-gaming-theory). You can find many gamers today and people who spend plenty of time online, who still manage to work and pay their bills, or keep up with their schooling, who have long-term relationships both social and romantic, and who are also wildly intelligent etc. Some [studies have even suggested that](https://steemit.com/science/@doitvoluntarily/playing-video-games-might-help-to-improve-learning) playing video [games might help to improve academic success](https://steemit.com/technology/@doitvoluntarily/playing-video-games-might-improve-academic-success-new-study-suggests). There are some children and others though, who aren't able to manage the gaming and media time *as successfully* and they do suffer tremendously because of their social media or gaming addiction. https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/05/21/13/38/social-349554_1280.png According to the advocates who have together recently issued their letter to the APA, they say that there are [*powerful psychology principles and techniques* that are being used](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/advocates-condemn-psych-techniques-used-040223307.html) today, and they are being used against the children playing these games. Even if those children want to try and self-regulate and successfully moderate their play time for example, such techniques it seems would definitely work against them and make it much more difficult to say no to more play time or screen time. Social media can be used in a very powerful and positive way to improve the lives of many, to connect people, to help educate, and much more. But it also brings with it a dark side; excessive use of social media has previously been [linked to anxiety and depression](https://steemit.com/psychology/@doitvoluntarily/new-study-investigates-link-between-social-media-depression-and-anxiety). One previous study from the UK *which surveyed more than 1400 young people*, asked them about their opinions on different social media apps, and they found that many of them saw those social media apps as contributing negatively to the [mental health of young people](https://steemit.com/socialmedia/@doitvoluntarily/social-media-users-rate-instagram-as-most-damaging-to-young-people-s-mental-health). It's not just the psychologists and child advocates themselves, young users also see how it might deteriorate the quality of life for many who aren't able to successfully self-regulate their addiction. Those behind the recent letter to the APA insist that there are many families out there today who don't understand why their children are so addicted to these devices and platforms. If they had a better understanding of the intricate psychological techniques being employed to keep them hooked, perhaps that would be able to them them assist their children in navigating the addiction. Pics: [Pixabay](pixabay.com) [pic 2 -giphy](https://giphy.com/gifs/india-ink-ZYS3RxCzGN54Y) [pixabay](pixabay.com) https://steemitimages.com/DQmaW48YhsgLS2fxaYkXCuon3tFpQEEh1tSUCU3jjJXv7RT/%40doitvoluntarily.gif