Dr Asangba Tzudir
Australia’s recent decision to bar their citizens under the age of 16 years from accessing social-media platforms is going to stir global debate. While it is a bold step which was taken in consideration of the mental health and safety of young people, in context, it also throws up a question: If such a policy were applied in a place like Nagaland, will it be helpful or cause problems? However, this is a question which does not have a straightforward answer as with most social questions.
When we look at the digital trend of Nagaland, it is witnessing an unprecedented shift where even in remote villages, young adolescents carry smartphones, and also scroll through various social media platforms, thereby forming a large part of the online population. Any teachers will attest to the decline in attention spans; parents too, worry about their children’s emotional withdrawal, gaming addiction, or exposure to inappropriate content. Rising anxiety and social comparison among school and college going students is observed. From this perspective, Australia’s ban appears like a protective shield worth considering.
There is merit in the argument. The term online was popularized with the coming of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and since then online activity has only grown even academically. Friendships took a new turn while shifting to screens and have curated online personas. While the digital world is still evolving, children and youths alike find themselves ‘forced’ into a digital world that neither they nor their parents fully understand. Therefore, a Social media ban could theoretically or hypothetically give young people the breathing space to learn, grow and develop without the pressures of the so called ‘aesthetics’, of beauty, that comes attached with Instagram; the degree in which TikToks gets viral, the ever-present trap of online bullying or even the pressure of competition it creates in the midst of struggling for self-recognition and social media inclusion. There was this young boy who on his own merit underwent what he calls phone and social-media detox, totally distancing away from mobile phone on a particular day of each weekday. One can also argue that it might even restore academic focus and learning while also encouraging outdoor play and community involvement.
There are deeper complications though, and in contrast, unlike Australia, Nagaland does not have a robust digital-verification systems, strong regulatory framework, or uniform technological access. Enforcing such a ban would be nearly impossible under the present circumstances without intensive age-verification method. This also carries the risk of excluding genuine users while driving children toward unregulated or anonymous platforms that are far more dangerous. Such a ban if enforced totally even at homes under the watchful eyes of the parents could also create a digital divide where children from poorer or rural backgrounds may be cut off entirely from the educational and informational benefits that the digital world offers.
Furthermore, social media is fast evolving today and it has gone beyond the avatar of entertainment. It is a space for one to learn, express creatively while also honing ones thought and writing skills. Today, many young Nagas use online platforms to showcase their talents, connect with global communities, and also participate in discussions that shape their worldview. A blanket ban may unintentionally silence these developing voices. Another point to consider is the case with most bans which rarely addresses the roots of the problems and issues. While we tend to consider only the overuse of social media, what is more important is to locate symptoms which will reveal deeper issues related which can be lack of extracurricular activities, social media as a escape for the pressure-driven rigors of learning, inadequate mental-health literacy, or family communication. Without addressing these issues, simply cutting off will only increase their frustration. Even the experience of having forgotten one’s phone at home while going to work, or the vivid imagination of ‘what is happening in the social media world’ while mobile data is off can be indeed frustrating and depressing.
While the question of whether it will be helpful if such a policy were applied in a place like Nagaland may be dismissed without giving consideration to the merit of the question, it throws some insightful lessons considering the attitudinal responses of the social media users which gives ‘short term relief’ for the users while interacting with the screen though without giving much thought to the harm caused on oneself and others. And so, beyond the question of whether such a ban should be enforced in Nagaland, what Nagaland really needs is digital literacy and its related ethics which should actually become part of school and college curricula. Parents also need guidance on healthy screen-time practices. Educational institutions should also invest in counseling support. And what the government can do is to work with tech companies for stricter content moderation and age-appropriate settings.
Ultimately, in the quest of learning, and where Social media is a learning space, it is not about the ban but to equip young people to navigate it wisely considering its negative impacts. However, Nagaland can learn from Australia’s concerns without copying the ban because Nagaland has its own unique culture and ways of learning and evolving. What is required is to educate and thereby prepare social media users to use wisely and effectively.
(Dr Asangba Tzudir contributes a weekly guest editorial for The Morung Express. Comments can be emailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
