Kate Winslet plays a tech-savvy Apple exec in the new movie Steve Jobs, but in real life, she prefers to be unplugged. The actress and mother of three, 40, even banned social media in her house to protect her kids from the negative effects of technology.
The Oscar winner told the UK's Sunday Times in a new interview that she believes social media leads to self-esteem issues, which could cause even more serious problems down the line. When a young girl shares a selfie, "she's thinking about what some other person thinks who she doesn't even know," the Titanic alum shared.
"[This has] a huge impact on young women's self-esteem because all they will ever do is design themselves for people to like them," she explained. "And what comes with that? Eating disorders."
Besides that, Winslet told the Times, apps like Instagram compel you to exploit your own private experiences for public approval. "The second you share that memory, that's not your memory anymore," the actress said of why she denied daughter Mia, 15, access to the photo-sharing site. "You've given it away."
For those reasons, among others, the British star limits Internet time at home and tries to emphasize the importance of real human interaction. "You have to stay in touch with your kids," she said, noting the usefulness of parental controls.
There are benefits to the web, of course, and Winslet acknowledges that it can be "an incredibly powerful educational resource." But she worries it's being "completely abused" in this tech-driven age.
"I think parents are losing control," she stated. "Especially if they're busy parents. It's really hard to keep your finger on the pulse."
Read the full interview here.
For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!
