iPad kid is a pejorative slang term typically used to refer to Generation Alpha children who appear to be addicted with phones or tablets and whom display negative behaviors as a result of said addiction. [1] [2] [3] The term was popularized in January 2021 after a TikTok creator created a viral video criticizing the parents of "iPad children" and again in November 2023, though usage dates back to throughout the 2010s. [4] [5]
Partially due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shifts towards online education and lockdowns caused an increase in electronic usage in young children. [6] [7] Changes in parenting and access to technology also influenced such usage. [8] [9] In 2023, videos depicting so-called "iPad kids" began trending on TikTok, a social media platform. [5] Videos describing or depicting said children quickly became viral, earning millions of views. [5]
Besides being used to refer to children obsessed with mobile phones or tablets, it commonly refers to children who seem to have a limited attention span or throw tantrums when not being able to use such technology. [5] [10] It can be used in both a positive and negative context, but is usually negative. [5]
Studies have shown that excessive screen time at a young age can be harmful and lead to struggles with attention span, emotional control and social interaction, which is often described in iPad kids. [10] [11] [12] A 2017 study found that 80% of children have access to a phone or tablet, and a 2025 report by Common Sense Media found that 40% of children have a tablet by 2 years old. [13] [14]
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