Article

A Question Long Overdue: What Do Our Children Watch Every Day?

Mohammed Idris

Date of publication: July 8, 2026 23:56 KSA

I followed with interest the discussions in the Shura Council regarding the demand for the Communications, Space and Technology Commission to set age verification controls and impose restrictions on the use of social media platforms for those under sixteen. The idea is not new; several countries have preceded us, each with its own experience in limiting children's access to inappropriate content. But before we await the results of this demand, perhaps it is worth pausing at a simpler question: What are those under sixteen watching today? The answer is no longer limited to scenes of 'violence' or 'pornography'; there is content that is difficult to classify! Videos combining horror with mockery, images generated by 'artificial intelligence', scenes designed to cause shock, and ideas touching 'nightmares' more than being entertainment. And this type of content does not pass by the child once, but repeats before him until the strange becomes familiar. The question becomes more urgent: If the child suffers from a developmental disorder such as autism, or any condition affecting his perception of content, how does he receive these scenes?! How does he interpret them? What effect might they leave on his behavior, or on his interaction with himself and those around him? These are not hypothetical questions, but a reality that deserves to be part of the discussion. It is noteworthy that this content does not reach the child by chance, but is pushed to him by 'algorithms' each time he stays longer in front of the screen, suggesting content more bizarre and exciting than the previous one, until he finds himself in a world completely different from what adults imagine he is watching. I am not among those who turn every issue into a 'space for theorizing'; I always prefer that discussion start from reality and end with applicable solutions. And reality says: A whole generation spends long hours in front of content whose details we only know to the extent allowed by 'algorithms', while the discussion - often - remains confined to usage duration, not the nature of what is displayed on the screen. We also need this file to be subject to specialized study, not just scattered impressions. What is the nature of the most watched content among those under sixteen? What are its effects on mental and behavioral development? How are these effects among children with developmental or psychological disorders? Answering these questions will give decision-makers, families, and schools a clearer picture than any individual efforts. Age verification may be an important step, but it is not the end of the road; rather, it is the beginning of a broader discussion about the digital environment in which our children grow up today, what should reach them, and what should stop at the gate of age. * A point below the line: We may differ on the means of protection, but we should not differ on the question that has long been overdue: What do our children watch every day?

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