Forecast of a Kids’ Tech Optimist
ChildrenLX’s first anniversary blog post 
One year ago I had a feeling and was brave enough to follow it. ChildrenLX started from an inner belief that it’s time for children’s digital environment to be treated with the attention, respect and imagination it deserves.
Today I can say with certainty:
There is a mutual global effort to elevate kids’ media and technology to the next level!
Yes!
What’s wrong now?
In short, the children’s tech space was a Wild Wild West for a very long time. Anyone could develop an app, call it educational and find a way to profit. However, the result is that stores are now full of trash apps, making good stuff hard to find.
There is no easy categorization system that allows you and your kids to find what you are looking for. Think of an AppStore as a supermarket. Would it make sense if all products for kids were tossed onto one shelf?
The same thing can be said about all children’s products, from toys to games and even play environments. The children’s industry is being guided more by financial interests and less by the well-being of children and their needs. Children are inculcated with a consumer orientation that goes far deeper than just the toys they are buying.
Ah, and I haven’t even said a word yet about privacy issues, or other regulation concerns…
Why is change needed?
Nowadays, most kids are exposed to technology from a very young age and they feel natural in the digital playground. However, this feeling of confidence can be deceiving because as we know, there are many potential dangers of which they (and we!) may not be aware. Figuring out how to lead the kids’ tech industry with kids’ best interests in mind is a global challenge that should be a top priority.
It is time that we, as grownups and professionals, ensure kids have the safest, coolest and easiest-to-use environment to help them grow and develop into the best possible versions of themselves.
What’s changing?
Call me an optimist, but after observing global initiatives, themes, media and personal conversations, I am convinced that change is occuring on a number of different levels:
Government sector—On a government level, we are seeing more funding and legalization activity surrounding privacy and children’s rights.
Private sector—There is more interest and investments now than ever before within the private sector, as well.
Multidisciplinary cooperation—Academia, industry, educators, parents and more are involved in a multidisciplinary effort to reimagine the use of technology in education and childrens' tech. This deserves special notice due to the multidimensional perspective and knowledge exchange needed to make better decisions.
Companies—Companies are embracing the importance of better UX for kids, content quality and taking responsibility for their impact on children’s lives. It’s a win-win situation that benefits both children and brands.
Volunteer Organizations—There many volunteer and not-for-profit organizations focused on making this space safer and healthier for children. A great example of this is Fairplay for Kids, whose Childhood Beyond Brands initiative is dedicated to ending marketing to children and helping kids thrive in an increasingly commercialized, screen-obsessed culture. Another example is an organization called Designing for Children’s Rights (D4CR), which designed a guide aimed at refining a new standard for both design and business, with the goal of directing development towards products and services that have “ethics and children’s best interest at their core”. (Full disclosure: I volunteer for this organization, which I think makes it even cooler!)
Designers—Designers all over the world have begun including children in their work, sharing their experiences with one another and working together on developing standards. See PlayTestingWithKids for an example. My work is part of a large-scale effort to bring information from different areas to those who need it so that better products can be created.
Parents—Parents are realizing that screen time restrictions are no longer the issue. Kids are being exposed to technology and parents want to find safe and more intelligent contexts for their family’s use. Parents want to learn the best ways for introducing their kids to technology and they want to know how they can foster healthy attitudes and habits so as to ensure a better future for their children.
Kids—Kids are asking to be heard! The more we educate them to know their rights and speak out, the more they will demand to be included and receive the quality products they deserve.
Communities—The common denominator to all of the above-mentioned points is the community attitude. We all do what we do for the shared cause, because we all understand the urgency of the situation, as well as our role in making a better future together. International online communities are themselves a perfect example of the opportunities that digital environments can expand for us.
Include kids!
We will have better answers if we include kids at all levels. Speaking of which, here is an incredible resource that can help you do that: Kids Included Report. The existence of such a deep report proves to me that I am not entirely dreaming. Perhaps the picture I drew is a bit too pink, but even if only part of it is true, then we are on the right path.
It’s in our hands to make it a reality!