Giving Kids Smartphones At A Young Age Leads To Devastating Mental Distress As Adults, New Study Proves

A new study has gone on to show a very depressing relationship between giving kids smartphones at young ages and the impact it can have on mental health.

We’ve all come across a lot of research in our lives where we’ve seen the consequences of using a smartphone during your early life results in seriously poor mental health during adulthood.

Females who make use of smartphones during the start of their lives stated how they suffer from poor mental health during adulthood, the study adds, with some highlighting the significance of flip phones as well as AIM technology.

One chart picked up steam during the start of the week across social media, giving parents of younger children a pause in terms of handing over devices to them at such young ages. And if that is not a reality check for the world, then we’re not quite sure what would be.

The research from SapienLabs sheds light on how those kids using smartphones during their elementary school days were suffering from greater mental health during adulthood when compared to those who received devices as teenagers.

This survey made me so glad as a millennial. And they happen to be a part of the final generation which included those people whose childhoods had nothing or very little to do with technology.

The complete research on this front spoke about interviewing close to 27,000 individuals from all over the globe who were aged between 18 to 24.

What’s interesting is how this is not only restricted to those suffering from childhood trauma. Those who didn’t have any such issues also showed a massively mentally distressful adult life, and it was the most in females. To be more specific, a staggering 74% spoke about getting smartphones aged 6 and were said to be struggling and very distressful on this front in terms of their mental capacity.

Surveys like this are a clear eye-opener for those parents who feel the best way to keep kids busy is through such means. We don’t necessarily agree with that. It’s about time that parents found a better and healthier approach to tackling kids and their never-ending tantrums. Research like this, it just goes to show that smartphones in elementary school are a big no.

But with that said, a little common sense does go a long way. Parents need to realize that the right age for making such purchases for the kids cannot be six or 10. They need to wait for them to get older and mature because what you’re really doing is saving them from massive devastation that their future self will thank you for.

Oh and before you ask what’s the right age, well, parents in search of guidance need to remember that Steve Jobs and even Bill Gates have raised kids with minimal intervention of technology. And that’s an eye-opener, considering their pioneer names in the world of tech today.

Read next: Researchers Highlight Alarming Findings of Cyberattacks via Wireless Chargers, Risking Smartphone Fires and Device Damage
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Tech Analyst Dan Ives Draws Parallels Between Nvidia's Rise and the 90s Internet Explosion

The AI world is experiencing a resurgence akin to the boom of the 90s, with Nvidia emerging as a frontrunner, according to tech analyst Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities (Via Business Insider).

Ives draws parallels to the pivotal year of 1995 when the internet gained widespread commercial traction, altering the global landscape. He believes we stand at a comparable juncture with AI investments. Nvidia's prowess lies in crafting highly coveted graphic processing units (GPUs), pivotal in empowering AI frameworks like OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Emphasizing Nvidia's pivotal role, Ives envisions their GPUs as catalysts propelling the surge in spending, anticipating a plethora of applications spanning both enterprise and consumer domains.

Despite the fervent AI investment, Ives dispels fears of a market crash reminiscent of the late 90s tech rout. He underscores the stark differences, asserting that current tech stocks are far removed from the speculative fervor of that era.

Echoing Ives' sentiment, Nvidia's recent fourth-quarter earnings surpassed expectations, clocking $22.1 billion in revenue, affirming the robustness of the ongoing AI boom.

Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, known as pioneer in AI, anticipates a paradigm shift with new AI data centers unlocking a gamut of hitherto unfeasible applications. He underscores AI's permeation across diverse sectors, from automotive to healthcare, portraying it as an inevitable progression.

Huang foresees Nvidia's GPUs as integral to every enterprise worldwide, envisioning a substantial and enduring business trajectory.

In essence, with Nvidia at the helm, the AI narrative unfolds as a burgeoning saga, with immense potential awaiting exploration across industries.

Image: Nvidia

Read next: Pichai Underscores AI's Potential to Expedite Defense Against Cyber Attacks, Potentially Tipping the Scales in Favor of Defenders
by Asim BN via Digital Information World

Apple Tests 'Ask,' AI Tool Resembling ChatGPT, for Enhanced Support Services

According to Macrumors, Apple is experimenting with 'Ask,' an AI tool pilot program for enhanced support services, akin to ChatGPT, to be utilized by select AppleCare advisors.

'Ask' mines Apple's internal knowledge base for responses, advisors rating them as 'helpful' or 'unhelpful,' promoting its use over traditional search methods, especially for intricate issues.

Post-feedback phase, Apple aims to expand 'Ask' to more advisors, aligning with its broader generative AI integration strategy expected in iOS 18.

CEO Tim Cook's emphasis on AI, notably during earnings calls, signals Apple's pivot towards AI-driven growth, previously disclosed in August 2023.

The debut of 'Ask' reinforces Apple's AI commitment, echoing Cook's vision of investing in transformative technologies for tomorrow.

Read next: Google Chrome’s Latest ‘Help Me Write’ Assistant Uses AI To Make Better Text Suggestions
by Asim BN via Digital Information World

Google and Reddit Strike a Deal Over AI Content

Reddit's visibility on Google Search has seen a big increase lately. It turns out, Google is the big AI company that has made a deal with Reddit for using its content, as reported by Reuters.

This deal has caught the attention of many, especially since Reddit has started showing up more in Google's search results, even beating the original sources of content in some cases. People are wondering if Reddit's boosted presence on Google Search is because of this content licensing deal. Another thought is that maybe Google is trying to make up for the fact that many searchers have been adding "reddit" to their search queries to find discussions and opinions.

According to Reuters, Google is paying Reddit $60 million a year to use its content to train Google's AI models, like Gemini. This deal was signed as Reddit is getting ready to go public with an initial public offering (IPO).

Back in February, it was first hinted that Reddit had made a deal with a large AI company. And by last April, Reddit expressed its desire to make AI companies pay for using its vast amount of content. Steve Huffman, the CEO of Reddit, emphasized the value of Reddit's content and stated that they shouldn't give it away for free to some of the world's biggest companies.

Following this deal, there's been a noticeable increase in Reddit's rankings on Google. Glenn Gabe, an SEO consultant, highlighted in a post on X that the number of Reddit URLs ranking on Google shot up from 22 million to 41.1 million, based on data from Semrush. This is a significant rise, indicating not just improved rankings but also an increase in the number of pages that are showing up in search results.

22M to 41.1M urls -> OK, so Google has a deal with Reddit to train its AI on Reddit content. We also know that the "hidden gems" piece rolled out in the fall of 2023 and Reddit (and other forums) surged. But with the deal, does Google have a firehose from Reddit? i.e. Is Reddit… pic.twitter.com/24uVJydTQb

— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) February 22, 2024

This partnership between Google and Reddit is a big deal in the tech and SEO communities. It raises questions about the dynamics of content visibility on search engines and how deals like this could influence what information gets priority in search results.

Image: DIW

Read next: Google Stops Gemini's AI Image Creation Tool Due to Wrong Images
by Mahrukh Shahid via Digital Information World

Google Stops Gemini's AI Image Creation Tool Due to Wrong Images

Google's Gemini, an AI-powered tool, is not working right now, because it made some mistakes with pictures.

People on social media said Gemini showed wrong images of historical figures, like making the founding fathers look like people of color.

Google shared a post on X claiming that they are trying to fix these issues quickly. They explained that Gemini tries to show a mix of people in its images because users from around the world use it. But Google admitted that Gemini did not do a good job with historical images.

Critics of Gemini's image generation have accused the tool of being overly influenced by modern sensibilities around diversity and inclusivity, to the point of altering historical facts.

Some people commenting on Google's post said Gemini was "too woke." They think Gemini is making too many changes to be politically correct, especially about race. Gemini started in December 2023, and its image-making tool was introduced in February 2024. It works by responding to users' requests, similar to how ChatGPT works, using Google's own information.

Following the controversy, Google has temporarily paused the use of Gemini's image generation feature. The company has promised to address the issues raised and to release an improved version of the tool in the near future.

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by Mahrukh Shahid via Digital Information World

Apple Warns Against Rice-Drying Method for Wet iPhones

Smartphone giant, Apple cautions against the age-old remedy of rice-drying for wet iPhones. Despite its popularity, experts have long frowned upon this method, suggesting its inefficacy. Now, the tech behemoth itself steps in, warning users about potential rice particles wreaking havoc on their devices.

The company advocates for a different approach i.e. gently tapping out any liquid, ensuring the phone's connector faces downward, followed by allowing it to air-dry. Despite smartphones' advancing tech, the go-to fixes for water mishaps remain rather primitive.

Apple seizes the moment to steer users clear of other questionable methods. Alongside rice, it advises against heat sources or compressed air, meaning no hairdryers or radiator rendezvous. Moreover, inserting foreign objects like cotton swabs or paper towels is a no-go.

• Also read: Emojis' Meanings Differ Across Cultures, Ages, and Genders, Impacting Online Communication Dynamics

Instead, the guidance suggests leaving the phone in a dry, airy spot before reconnecting it to a charger. As pointed out by Michael Simon, the evolving smartphone designs may render such advice obsolete in the future, with devices becoming more water-resistant.

Recent models like the iPhone 12 onward boast immersion resilience up to six meters deep for half an hour. Yet, as the global second-hand mobile market burgeons amid rising living costs, many may still seek advice on handling a waterlogged smartphone.

Image: Digital Information World - AIgen

Read next: Revealed: Top 10 Best-Selling Smartphones of 2023, Apple Claims Majority
by Asim BN via Digital Information World

Emojis' Meanings Differ Across Cultures, Ages, and Genders, Impacting Online Communication Dynamics

Emojis are a great way to share your emotions in a text. But a new study found out that the interpretation of emojis can be different for everyone on the basis of their location, culture, gender and age. Research from Nottingham gathered 523 people from China and the United Kingdom to see how these people interpret different emojis. 51% of these people were women while 49% were men, between the ages of 18 and 84. The study provided 6 different emojis from Apple, Windows, Android and WeChat to these participants and asked them to match these emojis to particular emotions.

The results of this study showed that older people couldn’t match the emojis with their respective emotions of surprise, fear, anger and sadness. Women matched the emojis of surprise, anger, fear and sadness more accurately than men. Moreover, participants from the United Kingdom guessed the emojis more accurately than Chinese participants, except for one emoji showing disgust. The researchers of this study admitted that there are many limitations to this study because only six emojis cannot tell how people interpret all the emojis.

The purpose of this study is to know the importance of emojis in context as sometimes they cannot convey the actual meaning in conversation. This research suggests that more study should be done to know how people interpret and use different emojis.

The lead author of this study, Dr. Hannah Howman, says that emojis are important in online communication because they help us understand non-verbal cues. But we still do not know how individuals perceive emojis. The results of this study says that interpretation of emojis is greatly based on cultures, age and gender. This research is going to be a great source of understanding the use and importance of emoji in online communication.

Image: Anne-Lise Paris, (www.in-graphidi.com), PLOS, CC-BY 4.0

Read next: Revealed: Top 10 Best-Selling Smartphones of 2023, Apple Claims Majority
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World