Summary: In India, like elsewhere in the world, there are serious concerns about the impact of detrimental social media use on the mental health of young people. While some people suggest an authoritarian approach by parents, others prefer laws that regulate social media use by the young. Neither is optimal or practical. What’s needed are more open conversations with children, a greater emphasis on mental health by educators and government bodies as well as a no-compromise approach to child safety by social media networks. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[00:00:02] Hello and welcome to All Indians Matter, I am Ashraf Enjanya.
[00:00:05] A recent global study reveals a sharp rise in what it calls problematic social media use among young people.
[00:00:11] The Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study surveyed 280,000 children aged 11, 13 and 15 across 44 countries
[00:00:19] and found that 11% engaged with social media in an unhealthy way in 2022 compared to 7% in 2018.
[00:00:27] This, the report says, raises urgent concerns about the impact of digital technology on the mental health and well-being of young people.
[00:00:34] It says action is needed to promote healthy online behaviour.
[00:00:37] Problematic use is most common amongst 13-year-olds.
[00:00:40] It sort of peaks in that early adolescence phase and girls are more likely to report problematic social media use than boys.
[00:00:46] The study's international coordinator, Dr. Jo Inchley from the University of Glasgow, told the BBC.
[00:00:51] She said the research also revealed how much time young people spend online.
[00:00:55] She added, and I quote,
[00:00:56] Across the study as a whole, we found just over a third of adolescents report continuous online contact with friends and others.
[00:01:03] That means almost all the time throughout the day they are connected online to friends and other people.
[00:01:08] While the report makes clear that all time spent online is not detrimental, but for the problematic minority,
[00:01:13] social media use was associated with addiction-like symptoms that included neglect of other activities,
[00:01:19] frequent arguments about its use, lying about the time spent online,
[00:01:22] and inability to control social media use and experiencing withdrawal when stopped.
[00:01:27] While this is a global study, there are studies specific to India that raise similar alarms.
[00:01:32] Last year, a national survey of 50,000 parents found that 6 out of 10 youngsters aged 9 to 17 spend more than 3 hours every day on social media or gaming platforms.
[00:01:42] About 22% of the parents said their children were online for over 6 hours a day.
[00:01:47] Only 10% said their child felt happier after spending time on social media or gaming.
[00:01:52] This is borne out also by a 2022 report by the US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy,
[00:01:57] which linked over 3 hours of daily social media interaction with higher risks of depression and anxiety among children.
[00:02:03] Dr. Murthy's report cited a profound risk of harm to adolescent mental health and urged families to set limits and governments to set tougher standards of use.
[00:02:20] Staying with India, another study by a social media platform, Local Circles,
[00:02:25] showed that extended engagement with social media amplified the danger of mental health issues such as aggression, impatience, hyperactivity and depression.
[00:02:32] The study suggested that 9 to 18-year-olds were getting addicted to devices because they were spending an increasing amount of time watching videos, playing games and socialising.
[00:02:40] Children who spent too much time on screens reported headaches, back pain and anxiety.
[00:02:44] It follows that while social media presence cannot be avoided altogether,
[00:02:48] explaining the risks to children, setting limits on screen time and teaching them how to use the internet responsibly are critical.
[00:02:54] In September last year, the Boston-based Lee Kamsiong Center for Health and Happiness
[00:02:58] provided support to the India Research Centre's Project Sanchar for a webinar titled
[00:03:02] Adolescent Wellbeing and the Influence of Social Media in India.
[00:03:06] The diverse panel of experts from government, academia, non-profits and healthcare
[00:03:09] detailed the complex relationship between adolescent mental health and the growing use of social media.
[00:03:15] The discussion revealed that underprivileged students in particular faced intensified mental health issues
[00:03:20] compared to privileged students, an indicator of the disparities in their experiences.
[00:03:24] Privileged students were stressed out comparing test scores and competing to address
[00:03:28] 10 prestigious colleges while the underprivileged worried about things like their parents not being able to pay their fees.
[00:03:33] Panelists also pointed to the pervasive nature of smartphones which often lead to disrupted family interactions,
[00:03:39] sleep disturbances and heightened aggression among teenagers.
[00:03:42] Depression and anxiety are on the rise too.
[00:03:45] As far as policy is concerned, panelists felt that peer education and teacher training programs
[00:03:49] could be where the state steps in.
[00:03:51] There is of course an acute shortage of mental health care providers,
[00:03:54] a challenge that needs to be addressed immediately.
[00:03:56] There is also a need for collaboration between various government ministries,
[00:04:00] organizations and institutions as well as increased funding for adolescent mental health.
[00:04:04] Healthcare professionals stressed on parental modelling of preferred behaviour and setting rules
[00:04:08] such as designated phone-free times as a crucial part of the overall solution.
[00:04:12] Meanwhile, mental health professionals everywhere have been urging greater digital literacy education
[00:04:17] to enable young people to adopt healthy online behaviours.
[00:04:20] These concerns exist worldwide and in the US, lawmakers have held multiple congressional hearings on child safety online.
[00:04:27] Many parents and educators advocate that children should not be given phones or access to social media until they are older.
[00:04:34] In the US, there was the wait until 8th pledge that many parents signed.
[00:04:37] It meant that they wouldn't give their children a smartphone until grade 8,
[00:04:41] that is, until they were 13 or 14 years old.
[00:04:43] Some parents waited until their children were 16 or 17.
[00:04:46] Social media companies have responded to the concerns by banning or discouraging children under age 13 from signing up.
[00:04:52] That's because other than privacy, there is also bullying, harassment, the risk of eating disorders and even suicidal thoughts.
[00:04:58] However, it is very difficult to ensure that the person signing up is over 13 years of age.
[00:05:03] Besides, what is actually the right age to sign up for social media?
[00:05:06] What are the parameters to decide that?
[00:05:08] There has also been some debate about a possible legal solution.
[00:05:11] The law could, for instance, ban those under 13 from social media.
[00:05:15] The problem is this is almost impossible to enforce.
[00:05:18] There is also the possibility that such a thing would turn the children into social media pariahs or isolate them,
[00:05:23] leaving them out of activities and discussions with friends that take place on social media or messenger apps.
[00:05:28] A more realistic approach, say experts, is a planned calibrated onboarding
[00:05:31] that gives children the understanding and information they need to navigate social platforms.
[00:05:36] Some experts suggest parents take their children through their own social media feeds and have open discussions about them.
[00:05:42] Ask how your child would handle someone asking them to send a photo, for example,
[00:05:45] and tell them about the right thing to do in such a situation.
[00:05:49] Experts caution against using anger or authority by saying things like,
[00:05:52] turn that thing off, because it's not respectful or cognizant of the fact that young people have a whole life in that device.
[00:05:58] Instead, show interest in what they do on their phones and gauge if they are holding something back.
[00:06:02] You could watch with your children documentaries about social platforms using algorithms,
[00:06:07] dark patterns and dopamine feedback cycles to keep users hooked.
[00:06:11] There's a lot of literature about it that you could read together too.
[00:06:14] This way, children would feel informed and empowered.
[00:06:17] Perhaps parents could limit their own phone use.
[00:06:19] If you need to use it for extended periods, mention what you're doing,
[00:06:22] checking work email, paying bills etc.
[00:06:23] so that the children know you aren't having fun while restricting their own.
[00:06:27] None of this is to exempt social media networks from their responsibility.
[00:06:31] And they're adding parental controls as scrutiny over child safety increases.
[00:06:35] Meta, for instance, unveiled parental supervision tools that let parents set time limits,
[00:06:40] see who their child follows or is followed by,
[00:06:42] and allows them to track how much time the minor spends on Instagram.
[00:06:45] As US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said,
[00:06:48] it's unfair to expect parents to manage what their children do with rapidly evolving technology.
[00:06:52] That, in a quote, fundamentally changes how their kids think about themselves,
[00:06:56] how they build friendships, how they experience the world,
[00:06:58] and technology, by the way, that prior generations never had to manage.
[00:07:02] Stop quote.
[00:07:03] What we need is a collaborative effort involving parents, educators,
[00:07:07] health professionals, social networks and the government,
[00:07:09] each doing its part to ensure the safety of our children online.