Abstract:

Child neglect and abuse has been a current issue from past to present. In general, ignoring a child's developmental needs can be defined as neglect, whereas any word or behavior that will knowingly harm the child can be defined as abuse. With the developing technology, digital devices have become an indispensable part of daily life. These digital devices offer people great possibilities and conveniences. However, if it is not used properly and in a balanced way, it can cause various damages. Exposure and addiction of children to harmful content as a result of their uncontrolled use of digital devices, just like abuse, it harms their mental, physical and social development. Parents and other relevant adults are responsible for the care and health of the children. Therefore, children's digital device usage habits are generally formed in the family. According to research, parents use digital devices to do their own chores, feed their children, calm their children, and as a caregiver in the form of rewards. The age of use of digital devices declined until infancy. These problems can also be experienced as a result of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, which are more common types of abuse. In this context, the aim of our study is to describe the use of technological equipment in a way that causes health problems in children as "technological negligence and abuse". The use of the internet and related digital devices by adults for child abuse or the approval or preparation of the use of the child in a way that causes developmental and health problems in terms of physical, mental and social aspects is called technological abuse. Technological negligence, on the other hand, is that although the use of digital devices is harmful for the child, this situation is ignored or the child is not guided to use digital devices properly. Individuals with responsibility for their children should teach their children to use technological devices in a healthy and beneficial way and protect them against the problems they will experience in the cyber world.

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