*Misuse of Social Media, Families and Society Facing Various Problems!*
*Sarfaraz Ahmed Qasmi Hyderabad*
*Contact: 8099695186*
The way modern technology and social media have gripped human life around the world, its negative effects are also emerging rapidly along with its positive aspects. Today's childhood, which should be connected to playing, interacting with friends, and the natural environment, has been confined to mobile screens. It has become a never-ending headache for parents on how to protect their children from the addiction of mobile and social media. Psychologists say that the addiction to mobile and online games is creating aggressive behavior, isolation, restlessness, and sometimes a tendency towards crime in children. Playgrounds are becoming empty, and the rooms of houses have become prisoners of the virtual world. This trend is not just a family problem but is becoming a social and national problem. Many countries around the world are seriously considering this situation. Australia has banned the use of social media by children under the age of 16. France is also making progress in the same direction. In this context, keeping the future of children in mind, many countries around the world are considering limiting the use of social media. Our country, Bharat, has a large population of children, so it is very important to ensure here that they do not become victims of social media addiction. In such an environment, the question is being raised intensely in our country as well whether effective laws and policies should be formulated to limit children's access to mobile and social media? The Karnataka High Court clearly stated in 2023 that school children are becoming addicted to social media and setting an age limit is inevitable to prevent its harmful effects. The Supreme Court has also emphasized the need to create guidelines to control the uncontrolled use of social media. The truth is that only court orders or government restrictions are not enough. The biggest solution to this problem starts from homes. Parents should keep an eye on what their children are watching on mobile? How much time are they spending? And what activities are they engaged in? In this regard, the example of a village in Chhattisgarh is noteworthy where recently in Gehra Bedi Gram Panchayat of Chhattisgarh, a rule has been made that if children of the village are found playing games on mobile, their parents will be fined three thousand rupees, along with a reward of one thousand rupees to the informer. A significant change has been seen in this village due to this decision. To get children out of the world of mobile, it is necessary to bring them closer to nature. Mobile screens have now replaced family gatherings, sports, and moral education. Children have become distant from natural games and have become digital prisoners. As a result, the new generation gets lost in the virtual world instead of facing the difficulties of the real world. Parents and teachers should take them to playgrounds, introduce them to relationships, bonds, and family values at home, and most importantly, spend time with them. Until children get real-life engagements and joys, they will remain trapped in the web of the virtual world. The World Health Organization has emphasized minimizing screen time for children under five years of age and increasing active play and quality sleep, while the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended avoiding media except for video chat in children under 18 months and setting clear boundaries for older children. These recommendations are not just moral advice but a scientific essence of protecting physical, visual, and mental development. This problem is not just of the government but of all of us. If society, parents, educational institutions, and the government all work together, children can be freed from mobile addiction, otherwise the coming generation will be a victim of such a crisis where creative abilities, physical health, and social relationships will all be lost in the darkness of the screen. There is a growing realization around the world that if children are not freed from the chains of smartphones and social media, a digital slave generation will emerge that will be mentally weak, physically inactive, and socially isolated.
Recently, a news item related to a state was published in the newspaper that 40 percent of children in Bihar are getting sick due to mobile phones. According to the news, Dr. Sugriv Das, a member of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights in Bihar, appealed to parents to protect their children from the harmful effects of mobile phones. Dr. Das, while talking to journalists in Samastipur, Bihar, said that children in Bihar are facing the worst effects of mobile phones, which is a matter of concern. He said that according to the report of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, more than 40 percent of children in the state are becoming mentally ill due to the use of mobile phones. Dr. Das said that parents need to pay special attention to what children are using mobile phones for and where they are using them."
On the other hand, the biggest reason for disputes in families and relatives has always been property, but in the present era, technology has changed the nature of differences. Now, not only land, houses, and businesses but also posts made on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media are creating distances in relationships. In recent days, the trend of WhatsApp and Telegram groups among families and friends has increased. The purpose of these groups is apparently to keep each other informed and strengthen relationships, but these groups are becoming hotbeds of disputes. As long as there is positive communication in the group, relationships remain pleasant, but as soon as any post or message comes up that is unpleasant to others, debate starts. Sometimes even someone's silence is considered opposition, which further fuels disputes. Many times these minor differences escalate to severe quarrels. Positive use of social media can improve relationships, and carelessness can take relationships to the brink of destruction. Now the situation is that if someone is not congratulated on a wedding anniversary or any other happy occasion, relatives get angry, but when congratulated again on a happy occasion later, they call and complain why they were not remembered earlier. Such small things often cause resentment, and relatives have to give explanations. If one person in the group is congratulated and another is not due to work pressure, they get angry and go around saying that they are rich, so they were congratulated, we are poor, so we were ignored. Recently, in a WhatsApp group belonging to a social media group in Suryapet, Telangana, one person posted, another person supported it and replied with applause emojis. Another person, i.e., the third person included in the group, started a fight as to why he was supported? This became a big issue in no time, and one person lost his life. In a family in the Guntur district of the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh, relatives created a WhatsApp group. One person posted congratulating his sister's child on his birthday. After a few days, he did not post a congratulatory message on his brother's child's birthday, which led to differences in the group. Some people called and expressed their displeasure with each other. Experts say that the most important thing while posting on social media is patience and tolerance. Any post that hurts the feelings of others or creates discord among relatives should be avoided. The posts shared in the groups should be of such a nature that every individual feels included. Sometimes even a small thing takes on a wrong meaning. Informative and beneficial content should be given priority in families and friends' groups instead of unnecessary debate so that these groups become a means of strengthening relationships instead of differences. The admins of such groups should also fulfill their responsibility. If a dispute arises, it is necessary to intervene immediately and resolve the matter and eliminate differences, otherwise a small matter can turn into a big quarrel. The fact is that after property, the new reason for differences and disputes in families is social media. If you don't congratulate on a happy occasion, there is a complaint, if you do, there is an objection, it has become a new test and touchstone of relationships. Give priority to informative and beneficial content so that these groups become a means of strengthening relationships instead of discord.
Certainly! Social media has become a powerful tool in today's era, but its misuse is causing many damages in society and is creating many kinds of problems. In today's modern era, social media has transformed the world into a global village. Through Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms, people connect with each other in moments. But while social media has made life easier, its misuse is proving to be severely harmful to society. News is viralized without verification, which is often false or misleading. These false news items give rise to communal riots, mistrust, and fear. Some people use social media to defame or ridicule others, especially the younger generation becomes its victim, which can negatively affect their mental health. Spending unnecessary time on social media negatively affects the performance of students and working people. People spend hours on the screen, which affects their academic and professional lives. Similarly, many times people share their personal information, pictures, or videos on social media, which can later fall into the wrong hands and become a means of blackmailing or fraud. Some elements try to create hatred between different communities by spreading hateful content, which harms social harmony. Social media is a powerful voice and an important tool, but it is important to use it thoughtfully and responsibly. We should use social media for knowledge, awareness, and positive connections, not for hatred, lies, and harm. While social media is a source of knowledge, information, and mutual connections on the one hand, on the other hand, it is also becoming a source of serious evils like apostasy (turning away from religion). Today's era is the era of technology, and social media has become an essential part of everyone's life. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms have made access to information easier. But unfortunately, these resources are not being used only for positive purposes, but they are also becoming a source of a silent but dangerous campaign against the religion of Islam, as a result of which the evil of apostasy is increasing. Many YouTube channels, Facebook pages, and blogs are being run by people who present themselves as "thought-provoking" or "questioning minds," but in reality, they attack the basic beliefs of Islam. When young people watch such content without knowledge and research, doubts and suspicions arise in their minds about religion. A specific thought is being promoted on social media that religion is an obstacle to human progress, or religion is just an ancient, obsolete system that is not compatible with the modern era. This narrative is alienating the young generation from religion and gradually leading them towards apostasy. Western thoughts and atheistic ideologies are presented in the name of "science" and "rational thinking," and religion is presented as an obsolete concept. Such videos and writings are increasing among young people, which lead to alienation from religion and ultimately to apostasy. Most young people are influenced by social media because they do not have a strong foundation of Islamic beliefs. When objections are raised to their beliefs, they cannot give a scientific answer to them and fall into doubts and suspicions. Through a regular campaign on social media, religious scholars, madrassas, and the Islamic system are insulted, due to which the general public, especially the youth, are becoming disillusioned with religion. The following suggestions can be implemented to deal with these situations.
1. Promotion of Islamic teachings:
Parents, teachers, and religious institutions should provide children and young people with strong beliefs and a correct understanding of religion.
2. Online presence of religious scholars:
Authentic scholars should be active on social media and answer the questions arising in the minds of young people in a scientific manner.
3. Monitoring children's online activities:
Parents should monitor their children's social media activities and encourage them towards useful, positive, and religious content.
4. Solving doubts through dialogue:
Young people who are in doubt about religion should be engaged in dialogue instead of being criticized, and their confusions should be answered with respect. The evil of apostasy through social media has become a serious challenge, which can only be countered if we guide the young generation with knowledge, wisdom, tolerance, and the correct teachings of religion. We have to present the truth in a constructive way, not just criticize. Through positive use of social media and a systematic plan of action, society and the community can be protected from increasing distances and discord and disunity.
*(The columnist is a well-known journalist and General Secretary of the All India Save Society Movement)*
sarfarazahmedqasmi@gmail.com