Use & Abuse of Television, Internet, and Social Networking

Adolescence is a critical time as children indulge with building identity, belonging and attachment.
However, children are not only learners caught up in pre-existing knowledge Systems, but are also
active contributors and participants who form their own sense of society. By interacting with others
in social systems children can learn much about themselves and the world through exposure to it, by
actively participating in its organization and establishment of their unique perspectives.

Media is the most important tool to shape and mobilize public opinion and spread information.
Looking at its tremendous power to influence and impact human psyche, behaviour and actions, it can
play an important role in adolescent’s overall development. This is of considerable importance in
today’s world, where media is bombarding adolescents from all angles – TV, radio, films, magazines,
bill board, computer, internet, cell phones etc. are having a cumulative effect on adolescents senses,
psyche, beliefs and thinking. Also, in the context of the socialization process, like never before, media
is playing a larger role than parents, teachers and friends.

USE OF THE MEDIA

Children’s lives are dominated by media-from traditional television to the ‘new media’ such as iPads,
tablets, apps in mobiles, and social media. Today’s children and adolescents are spending an average
of seven hours a day on entertainment media including television, computer, cell phones and other
electronic devices. Studies have shown that excessive media use can lead to attention problems,
school difficulties, sleep and eating disorders, and obesity. In addition, the internet and cell phones
can provide platforms for illicit and risky behaviours. Therefore, the role of parents and teachers
assume great significance these days as our children get exposed to many undesirable patterns online
which is not good either for their mental health or physical health.

Media which comes under interactive technology is considered as a cultural tool for mediating social
interactions, thereby placing the socio-cultural theory of Vygotsky relevant to contemporary
communication researchers. The two tenets of socio-cultural theory- (1) dominant activity and (2) the
zone of proximal development resound deeply with children’s lives in the digital age.

According to Vygotsky, the dominant activities are pervasive among children within a particular
culture. In the digital age, engagement with media and interactive technology should be considered
as dominant activities for children and adolescents. Therefore, it is important to consider use of media
as a dominant activity which affect them as well as shape the larger cultural landscape.

The tenet of ‘zone of proximal development’ (ZPD) provides an explanation for how the child learns
with the help of others. The ZPD is the distance between the child’s actual developmental level and
his or her potential level of development under the guidance of more expert adults. Using media as a
means of social interaction, the child learns by constructing his or her understanding by social events
in the world. This phenomenon is known as scaffolding. For example, the internet helps to access
adult-targeted sites and thereby increases their knowledge in various topics.

HOW CAN MEDIA BENEFIT CHILDREN

There are various ways in which media benefit smaller children.

• There are various computer games and educational apps which make learning of literacy skills.
• Children seem to enjoy getting familiarized with various shapes and sizes, counting, addition,
subtraction etc. thereby learning numeracy skills.
• Interestingly, children also develop helping behaviour in terms of cooperation, coordination,
sharing, giving way, taking lead, etc. in terms of playing computer games and using
educational videos, thereby acquiring social skills.
• Older children also learn to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through various
apps and games meant for their ages. The teacher needs to keep herself/ himself abreast of
these technological advancements.
• There are also apps which seem to develop creative thinking too and give huge impetus to
developing imaginative vistas in their fertile mind.

Adolescents too benefit in a number of ways

• They learn to develop social skills and online etiquettes in dealing with people organizations.
• They get access to various information related to their future careers. For example, a student
who wants to prepare for various competitive examinations will have ready access to many
websites which can help her/him.
• A student who wants to any art form can have online access to various tutorials who will teach
her/him.
• Long ago, most children and teens were limited to joining community, neighborhood, and
school groups. They were not that exposed to events and happenings outside their
community. But with social networking and the internet in general, correspondence to
virtually anyone from anywhere is possible. Interactive involvement even reaches as far
putting children and teens under the spotlight for discussing and participating in online and
social networking forums for issues that concern them.
• It helps in improving the world awareness. It is quite usual to think that children and teens are
not that keen to knowing issues that shape the world. Politics, social problems, population,
health, and the economy are things that the younger populace lacks interest in. But because
of social networking, they have no choice but to face the world‘s problems and share their
opinions. The good thing about this is that their voices are given weight in issues where adults
are traditionally the prominent protagonists. With all this positive effects social networking
also lead to the hazards and adverse effects of it.

Abuse of Internet and Social Networking

The intensification of the internet age has enabled us to live a life at a faster hop. The younger
section of society like children, pre-teens and teens accounts for a very large portion of the
internet populace. The same group also accounts for the most rapid increase in internet use. And
when this group stays online, the most common thing they do is join social networking sites.

What’s most intriguing about this internet revolution is that children and teens are leading the
way . But the ongoing popularity (or maybe dependence) on the internet and social networking
carries not only positive but also negative effects.

• It may encourage exploitation and abuse which may lead to the very antagonistic effects
on the life of the peoples. We all know that social networking is a product of technology
and technology brings new kinds of crime. While many people use it for wholesome,
ethical, and healthy reasons, there are also many who utilize it to abuse and exploit
others, particularly children and teens. The convenience brought by the web has led
criminals to understand that carrying out their trade is much easier and less risky online.
 The use of fake identities is one advantage these people have in order to be more
confident in exploiting and abusing children.
• Sometimes social networking will be responsible to behavioral tendencies and
consequences. The impact of social media and social networking sites on the behavior of
children and teens is very disturbing. We’re not saying that social media is bad in and of
itself. The misuse of such technology is what makes it bad. For instance, there is the
tendency to conform to what’s popular without considering whether it's right or wrong -
as often seen in cases of cyber bullying. It's much easier for young people to verbally abuse
each other online than it is face to face.
• Social media is responsible for revolutionizing traditional communication. However,
research has shown that social networking sites can be very addictive. People who use
social networking sites for their daily communication are hooked to a point that they
neglect health responsibilities, especially their diet. The addictive nature of social media
leads to eating disorders, obesity, heart problems, sleep disorders, and other pertinent
health issues. Additionally, constant exposure to the internet because of social
networking addiction prevents a child or teen from engaging in physical activities and
socialization. They become so dependent on it that they start to think making contact with
other people outside the social network is not necessary. As such, they become socially
and physically stagnant.