Arresting social media
How can I help you? A mother of four complained that her 16-year-old son was having trouble sleeping.
To create a more relaxed interchange, I started by asking what her typical day was like. She shared that, as a single parent and with children to provide for, she always has to leave early for work. Her son has chosen to live with a sibling and attends school from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., but reportedly only gets to sleep by 12:30 a.m. He then volunteered the reason himself: he has become so attached to his cell phone. This eventually led into a discussion on his school performance. His grade in Math was in the line of eight, but he struggles with his English comprehension because he felt he was “mahina” and forgets things easily. When asked where this forgetfulness was coming from, he quickly replied that it was probably from watching too much TikTok. While I was dismayed, at least there was some degree of self-awareness.
From his story, one doesn’t have to do an in-depth analysis to connect the dots. From constant and prolonged social media use, there is sleep disruption, translating into a decrease in concentration and lack of focus, leading to a decline in academic performance.
Published studies and ongoing research, while inconclusive, have shown a strong association between excessive social media consumption and poorer mental health outcomes in children, serving as a source of anxiety, depression, bullying, and predatory activities. On the other end, it has also been praised as a medium promoting social connectedness, providing a sense of belonging and community. Whether beneficial or harmful, it has the power to impact one’s well-being, with children remaining the most vulnerable group.
Australia was the first country to take a firm stand in recognition of its far-reaching consequences. Several countries have followed suit with their own age restrictions. Locally, there are bills waiting to be passed into law. The question is not just if and when it will become a reality, but how much teeth it will have, given that rules can easily be circumvented in our country. Do we have to wait for another tragedy to happen before we take more definitive steps and normalize what should not be?
Let’s take the short narrative above as a place to begin and focus on accountability. As a parent, our duty is to teach our children at the very onset to understand why there is a need to have rules, and to respect and follow them. This helps establish parental authority and teaches discipline. Even if social media use is inevitable, setting a firm stand is helpful in getting your message across.
Recently, the Philippine Pediatric Society, Inc. issued a position statement on social media use for children and adolescents. While access was not recommended for those less than 16 years old, it is important to understand that age is not the sole factor in determining readiness. A child’s “developmental capacity, vulnerability, and the quality of caregiver supervision” are other equally important considerations. Therefore, each child should be carefully assessed individually.
Aside from parents or caregivers, pediatricians, schools, and government and platform providers are called upon to work together to contribute to addressing this escalating problem.
Schools are to provide age-appropriate digital literacy and guidance to both students and families, alongside health-care workers who can offer proper counseling and education. Technical firms and digital creators should supply adequate measures that would regulate and restrict access to harmful material as well as prevent exposure that would leave children vulnerable to being bullied and exploited.
Late last week, I made my service rounds and chanced upon a little girl suffering from chronic kidney disease who was busy coloring a piece of paper. It was a welcome sight, mainly because all the rest were on their cell phones. Upon closer inspection, I was touched by what she had drawn—it was a picture of the Philippine flag.
That encounter hit me hard. While I know where my responsibility lies, for the large part in helping provide adequate medical care, my duty toward her goes beyond. With the many challenges she is about to face from her condition, she deserves a better future.
No one is exempt from the visual and noise pollution that is corrupting society. I sometimes fear that we are all losing sight of what should be national priorities. This is just one of the very many. If we truly believe that the youth is the hope of the nation, just as Jose Rizal did, we should set the stage for them. We shouldn’t succumb and give up amidst the confusion and the chaos.
You and I are accountable! We have to do our share in helping shape the future generations.
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timgim_67@yahoo.com
