Threat for Future Generation- Digital Time Guzzlers Today?

One of the common concerns today is that one does not have time, whether one is a parent, student or in job or a professional. It is a fact that there are huge opportunities for those who are clear with their goals and focused towards reaching them. However, many of us feel we have no time for other long term or development activities. Why Let us look at the most impacted sector as a case study. Children/ Students: where are they losing time? Is getting hooked to social media the reason? It appears to be so.

Let us look at whom and how it helps (advantages)?

How it helps the Marketers of Products and Services?

1. Provides detailed analytics and user demographics on interest on content & importantly advertisements.

2. Marketing strategies are built with responses and analysis. Increases customer base.

3. Brands and brand ambassadors can engage more with this information. [It may be that the brand ambassadors themselves may not be using the products or services.]

4. Clarity on what are the shopping features which advance selling products and services.

5. Augmented Reality over period believed to be true.

6. Targeting traffic to the product/ services.

7. Redirecting traffic to Google or amazon.

Therefore it is clear that these marketing giants as well as any seller of any product or services can use the social media to their advantage.

How it helps the individual?

1. Sharing content, expressing opinions to make a difference.

2. Being a part of niche communities with common interests, hobbies and causes.

3. Entertainment

Common social media platforms could be: tik-tok, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter. Unfortunately, the Googles, amazons, Meta using artificial intelligence are incentivising products to encourage addiction!! Further constant notification and addictive app designs encourages constant connectivity and getting hooked

Mobile / I Pad/ Video Games- Addiction leading to Distraction – Children: It is observed that there is a movement from play based childhood to phone-based entertainment. The experience is quite immersive. Every disappointment can lead to escaping into this wonderful world of fantasy at a click of a button. Social Media Disorders (SMD) and Internet Addiction Disorders (IAD) are recognised diseases by WHO. Video Games are also addictive which over time need to be played longer and longer to get the same “fun”.

The disease is called “Gaming Disorder”.

Being part of the social media where “likes” are important, looking good (image on media), constantly being in touch at all times (craving) of the night or day has several serious issues. Consequences (disadvantages) could be:

- Losing free will

- downward spiral in character.

- Invasion of privacy concerns

- Declining / Poor academics/ learning,

-disinterest in school/ schoolwork,

- Sedentary lifestyle with lack of exercise - Indoor preference to outdoor,

- Inadvertently become part of manipulative groups at times- dangerous,

- Dis-information and misinformation to facts- inability to distinguish,

- Exposed to inappropriate content, negative interaction of ridicule (cyber bullying) possibilities,

- Attention Deficiency Syndrome (inability to concentrate long) or selective attention,

- Inadequate or irregular sleep,

- Irregular and unhealthy food,

- Fearful attitude being built of others, fearing to disagree or make a mistake and being open for ridicule,

- Heightened Anxiety,

- Inability to differentiate between truth and fake content, over time right and wrong,- Focusing on trivialities,

- Depression

,- Early use of spectacles,

- Loss of memory,

- Loss of computing skills,

- Lack of independent thinking/ creativeness etc.

In the developed countries (in these matter developing countries are not much behind), research suggests that on an average school going kids are on the mobile for 4-5 hours day. Maybe in India it is less due to affordability in economically challenged sectors till they start to earn.

Are there any Solution?

Enlightened parents across the world have started to leverage the technology without the harmful effects by:

a. Removing all the apps which are detrimental to children from mobiles and lap tops totally whether it is insta, facebook, wat app or tik tok.

b. Early awareness & sensitising for children in the use of technology productively,

c. Early awareness of the risks, Inculcating digital ethics and responsibility early,

d. Delay the time of procurement of mobile, Ipad or lap top.

e. Allocate the specific days & times for using mobile apps themselves.

f. Limit the content and the access to non-educational content,

g. Monitor the actual usage.

h. Use website blockers

i. Use apps to manage notifications,j.

j. Taking mandatory breaks(fasting) every day, every week (1/2 days) and every month (5 days at stretch) from technology,

k. Encouraging face to face interaction at home and outside,

l. Outdoor exploration, Playing games

m. Hands on practical learning in schools and at home, and

n. Encouraging productive educative apps as an alternative.

Today we find that these addictions/ disorders are not restricted to only students but to all including people like us in jobs, teachers, managers, retired and others. The solutions could also be the same except that they would have to be self- imposed.

Students and parents may peruse this note (not comprehensive for sure) to get some tips on how to use technology ourselves as well as our kids and not let it make us its slave. We cannot change the world. But we can change ourselves. Remember our children do not have anyone who cares for them more than us. Do not miss the opportunity even if it means, we need to first get de-addicted.Pl feel free to mail me at [email protected] with any additional methods.