Across the globe, parents, educators, caregivers and policymakers have been sounding the alarm for years on negative impact of social media on mental and physical health of children. Research has associated spending long periods of time on social media with depression, anxiety, insomnia and eating disorders.
According to the experts, earlier and higher exposure of multimedia is having negative effects on children’s physical and mental status. There are growing concerns about cognitive and social habits of children changing as a result of early access to technology. These concerns are not misplaced. The child is getting exposed to addictive social media and inappropriate content.
A survey on the impact of growing up with smartphones has confirmed the disadvantages of early digital use. The findings concluded that delaying ownership of such a device could result in better mental health.
As per the study on “Effects (Physical, Behavioral and Psycho-Social) of using Mobile Phones and other devices with internet accessibility by children, 23.80% of children use smartphones while they are in bed, before going to sleep, which increases with age, and 37.15% of children always or frequently experience reduced levels of concentration due to smartphone use.
Together with the increase in smartphones and the internet in recent years, there is a rise in reports that teenagers struggle with issues of mental health and concentration on studies.
Youngsters who are glued to digital devices, researches have shown, may neglect their personal hygiene and daily responsibilities, such as homework and chores, in favour of spending time online.
There are numerous benefits of Smartphones. Literally they bring the world to the hands of the user. In the present-day era, survival without a smartphone seems improbable. At the same time, the Smartphone’s have emerged as one of the biggest threats to privacy, tracking and disclosing personal data to technological giants, which always want to cash in on the information for earnings. Smart phones use more battery and sometimes people are unable to use their phones to make calls during emergencies, thereby defeating the original purpose of mobile phones.
Banning social media, according to experts, may not be the key to online safety. Rather, the emphasis should be on digital literacy and privacy. While young people will resist any ban, the parents and caregivers must approach social media use in a non-judgmental way. There is need for conversations about limiting screen time before bed and efforts should be made to persuade kids in this direction.
