Gaining Popularity for Childlike Behavior
Zoo Installs Notice Prohibiting Phones in Front of Enclosure
A zoo in China has banned showing mobile phone videos to chimpanzees. The reason is none other than to protect their eyesight and prevent stress. On September 16, the Hong Kong media outlet South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Shanghai Wild Animal Park in China recently posted a notice asking visitors not to show mobile phones to a two-year-old chimpanzee named Dingding in order to protect the animal. Dingding has gained the affection of many visitors for behaving like a young child, such as sitting with legs crossed while drinking milk or shyly hiding in the arms of a caretaker.
The two-year-old chimpanzee "Dingding" at Shanghai Wild Animal Park gained great popularity for behaviors resembling a human baby, such as sitting with legs crossed while drinking milk or bowing its head in the arms of a caretaker. Photo by SCMP
Amid this, controversy erupted recently when news spread that Dingding had become captivated by short videos. In one video, a woman is seen holding her phone up to the glass of Dingding's enclosure and showing a music video, to which Dingding responds by watching intently and scratching its face. Another visitor reported that Dingding showed particular interest in comedy clips and short dramas.
As many visitors continued to show mobile phone videos to Dingding, the zoo ultimately took special measures by installing a notice in front of Dingding's enclosure banning mobile phones. The notice features an illustration of Dingding and a phone, with a red "prohibited" sign on the palm of a hand. A zoo official explained, "If a chimpanzee's eyesight deteriorates, it becomes difficult to communicate with humans, which can lead to anxiety and health problems." The official added, "Dingding cannot wear glasses." However, as there are no penalties for violating the rule, questions remain about its effectiveness.
Short Videos Like Shorts Pose Serious 'Risks' for Teenagers
Many teenagers spend the entire day watching YouTube Shorts and cannot put their phones down. Research has shown that the more addicted they are to phones, social media, or video games, the higher their risk of suicide becomes. A joint research team from Weill Cornell Medical College, University of California, Berkeley, and Columbia University published these findings in the medical journal Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) around June. JAMA is considered one of the two leading medical journals, alongside the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
Many teenagers spend the entire day watching YouTube Shorts and cannot put their phones down. Research has shown that the more addicted they are to phones, social media, or video games, the higher their risk of suicide becomes. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Pixabay
The research team began their study to examine how addiction issues affect the mental health of teenagers. They tracked about 4,300 adolescents aged 9 to 10. The study focused particularly on the use of mobile phones and social networking services (SNS). Rather than simply measuring usage time, the researchers evaluated the degree of addiction among the teenagers.
They assessed the cravings and distress experienced by teenagers when prevented from using mobile phones or social media. As a result, half of the participants already showed signs of addiction to mobile phones at the start of the study. High levels of addiction persisted beyond ages 9 to 10 and continued into early adolescence, with about a quarter of participants developing clinical levels of addiction as they got older. Notably, about 41% of participants exhibited addiction to social media, with a rising trend. For both social media and mobile phones, teenagers with high and increasing levels of addiction were found to have up to three times the risk of suicide compared to those without such addiction.
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