When jobs was still alive and in charge of apple, he often called in reporters to say that your story about Apple was good, or (more often) explained (brainwashed) that your story was completely off the mark. When I wrote an article about the iPad's short board in 2010, when jobs called on me to chew my tongue, I was completely shocked by one thing he accidentally revealed.
"So, your kids must love the iPad?" I asked jobs, trying to change the direction of the conversation. Apple's tablet was just coming out. 'They haven't used it yet, 'he told me.' at home, we restrict the use of technology by children. '
At that time, my mouth was wide open and I lost my voice. I once thought that Steve Jobs's house must be dressed like a otaku's Paradise: the wall was a huge touch screen, the dining table was a large iPad, and iPods were presented to the guests.
No, Jobs said, not at all.
Since then, I have met with presidents and investors of technology companies with the same philosophy: they strictly restrict children's screen time, prohibit children from using electronic devices during school days, and limit their use of time even on weekends.
I was puzzled by their educational style. After all, most parents let their children use tablets, smartphones and computers all day long.
Yet CEOs of these technology companies seem to know something that ordinary people don't.
Chris Anderson, former editor of Wired magazine and CEO of 3D robot, strictly controls the time parents use their children's electronic devices. "My child accused my wife and I of being too fascist in technology and equipment, and said that their friends never had such a rule." he had five children, aged 6 to 17, "because we had witnessed the dangers of technology. I don't want it to happen to my own children. '
What Chris Anderson refers to is exposure to harmful information, such as pornography, cyber bullying, or, most terrifying, addiction to electronic devices, just like their parents.
Alex Constantinople, chief executive of outcast agency, a company specializing in technology connectivity and marketing, said her youngest five-year-old can't use electronic devices except on weekends, while her older children, 10-13 years old, can only use 30 minutes a night during school.
Evan Williams, founder of blogger, twitter and medium, and his wife, Sara Williams, said they had never bought an iPad for their children, but their two boys had hundreds of books ready to read.
So, how do these tech dads set limits on their kids' access to technology? The answer is age.
Children under the age of 10 are the most likely to become addicted to technology devices, so these parents will strictly limit their children's use of time. Children are not allowed to use computers until they are 10 to 14 years old, but only for homework.
"We have strict screen free time," says Lesley gold of a media analytics firm. "But when kids grow up, you need to allow them to use computers to do their homework. '
Some parents also ban their children from using social media, except snapchat, which is burned after reading. This way, children don't worry about what they've done.
Some people will say that harsh restrictions will lead to children's rebellious psychology, if not, children will become electronic maniac.
But I didn't ask jobs what his children would do if they didn't play with electronic devices, so I found Walter Isaacson, author of the biography of jobs.
"Every night at the long kitchen table, jobs would discuss books, history and other things with the kids," he said. "No one would take out an iPad or a computer. His children don't seem to care about electronics at all. '