Social media is a computer based technology that facilitates the sharing of ideas, thoughts, videos, information and more through virtual networks and communities, primarily housed by the internet.
It all started in the 1960s in America and it was solely used by government researchers to disseminate information but it was officially launched for public consumption between 1987 and 1997 by Andrew Weinrich, an American.
It has now become an indispensable tool in today’s world. Every part of our lives ranging from business, politics, economy, defence, sports, education, fashion, finance, security, marketing to entertainment and what have you, are directly or indirectly influenced by social media.
Social media access differs from country to country. As at July 2021 Denmark and the United Arab Emirate have the highest penetration. Ninety nine percent of their population have access to the net.
In Nigeria,our percentage has grown steadily from forty six point fifty nine percent (46.59%) in 2019 to forty nine point fourteen percent (49.14%) in 2020 and as at January 2021, it is estimated that about one hundred and four million (104,000,000) Nigerians use the social media.
The increased social media access in Nigeria has provided a platform for everyone especially youths to communicate, create content, share ideas, learn and transmit information with friends, schoolmates and distance family members at their convenience, using desktop, PC, pad, Android, apple or any of its equivalent electronic gadgets.
No doubt, the social media use is rising among teenagers and youths in the country.
A shocking research conducted by Nigerian Communication commission, NCC, in 2020, seeking to probe the frequency and online activities of the Nigerian youths showed that 85 % of the urban 13-17 years-old teenagers, surf the internet and chat on social networking sites daily.
This survey showed higher levels of disordered use of technology among youths and teenagers in Nigeria, placing her sixth from the bottom of the list of 30 peer countries.
It was further revealed that some of these teenagers spend over 8 hours daily watching YouTube, Instagram, Facebook videos or chatting on WhatsApp and Facebook messengers at the expense of their studies.
This upsurge is an indication that this young minds who find themselves in an unregulated platform like social media, will not only be affected academically but socially and psychologically as well.
According to psychologists, majority have reportedly performed below par academically, some stumbled on harmful sites like pornography which has led to a negative habits like early indulgence in sex, sex addiction, substance addiction, masturbation and lesbianism while others have been bullied online resulting in depression and suicidal thoughts. An American entrepreneur, Whitney Wolfe Herd, added to this when she said ” I am a huge advocate of anti-bullying in our youth. What I have seen in social media is that Children are not facing bullying on playgrounds but on social media”
Again, we live in an era where processes are neglected for get rich quick syndrome, of which our youths are integral part.
Data made available by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, reveals that over 75 percent of persons arrested in the past ten years for Cybercrimes, otherwise called ‘419’, ‘yahoo’ or ‘yahoo plus’, are young people between the ages of 18 and 36.
It is on record that most of the terrified frauds ever committed in the history of Nigeria were perpetrated by youths.
For instance, the arrests of a 23 yearl-old movie producer, Nneji Emmanuel with his gang of 19 others in Calabar and a 19 year-old boy, Tobechukwu Igbokwe and his friend Ifeanyi Obi, for allegedly defrauding an American, in the tune of $40M in 2013.
The recent warning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),that about 70 percent of the Nigerian youths may soon become convicts if their involvements in cybercrime are not curbed, is sine qua non for dangers ahead that both parents and Government must be cautious about.
As good as social media is for everyone, it is fast becoming ‘perilous pitfalls’ for many Nigerian youths who are suppose to be the hope of their parents, state and country at large.
In a random interview, conducted while trying to find solution to this menace ravaging the future of the Nigerian youths, twenty eighth of the thirty parents interviewed agreed that social media should be censored for teenagers until they turned 18 while the other two believe that the parents should inculcate good moral values in their children and deny them access to internet enabling gadgets.
One of the parents who preferred to be called Hellen Richard said ” I have seen children from the age of 8 and above using social media to chat and watch videos. This made some of them to get addicted to it and perform poorly in their studies and so I am of the opinion that it should be censored for children under 18 years of age.”
The clarion call of these Nigerians are also supported by most global voices, among whom include, Mae West, an American actress even before her death in the 80s, foresaw this absurdity when she said, ” Right now, I think, censorship is necessary, the thing they ‘re doing and saying in this films right now shouldn’t be allowed. There is no dignity anymore and I think that is very important”
There is a need for censordhip, if the future of our youths must be secured.
The call for social media censorship should be accompanied by the necessary legislation needed to address the heart of the problem. We need effective rules around the online content and advertising that is amplified and targeted toward young minds.
The exposure of teenagers to unhealthy content through social media and internet generally should be totally stopped.
Finally, gains made from direct harmful or illegal advertorial content to teenagers should be made punishable by law.
It is time to rise and secure the future of our youths before it’s too late.
