Tech billionaires are publicly shielding their children from the products that made them rich
Fortune • • business
Key Points:
- Since 2010, many Silicon Valley tech leaders, including Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, have limited their children's use of technology, a trend that has intensified with the rise of social media and short-form video content.
- Research shows that excessive screen time, especially short-form videos, is linked to poorer cognitive function and mental health declines, prompting figures like YouTube cofounder Steve Chen and Facebook investor Peter Thiel to impose strict screen limits on their children.
- Prominent tech CEOs such as Bill Gates, Evan Spiegel, and Elon Musk have publicly shared their efforts to restrict their children's device usage, highlighting concerns about social media's impact on youth.
- Governments in countries like Australia and Malaysia have enacted bans on social media use
