Social media taking toll on young Indians

Munawar Zaman
Press TV, New Delhi

It is the afternoon and the first shift of the school is over; meeting some parents was quite encouraging when asked about social media impact on children in India. While some said the social network and smartphone technology is draining their children, others said it is the age of technology.

This man says he has four children, but the younger ones are quite addicted to smart phones and gaming so intensely that their day starts with their favorite cartoon. Many other children I spoke with said sometimes the use of social media is detrimental.

Based on surveys, 55 percent parents in urban India agree their children have unlimited access to social networks through smart phones which becomes hard to monitor or filter. They stress the minimum age requirement for creating a social media account to be 15 and above.

During Covid lockdowns, smartphones and social media became the main tool for people to interact. But, that left an adverse effect on children and youngsters, as many of them got extremely addicted to their devices.

Concerns are also now growing among parents about the mental health of their children, with many calling for regulating the use of social media. Activists say social networks have also impacted the mental health of children in a drastic way which has impacted social bonding and given rise to mental disorders.

Child activists say if children are more into social networks and less into relationships, this will make problem solving hard which gives rise to depression among children. Mental health experts say awareness through schools and other platforms such as social media itself can play a major role in propagating the negative aspects of social media.

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