(MENAFN- Pajhwok Afghan News)
KABUL (Pajhwok): Some psychologists claim excessive use of mobile phones and social media causes decreased cognitive function, mental disturbance and aggression in children and adolescents, and can lead to early puberty, sexual deviations, and even exploitation.
These psychologists point out that excessive use of mobile phones and the internet results in anxiety, depression, and emotional dependency for children and adolescents, emphasizing that families should set specific limits on mobile and internet use, along with appropriate alternatives for their children.
Social media may cause early puberty, sexual deviations
Sharifuddin Azimi, a psychologist, states that excessive and addictive use of mobile phones takes away children's and adolescents' study time, limits their social interactions, prevents them from engaging in real-life games, and harms their relationship with parents.
He added,“Social media, however, can have somewhat different effects. It is where exploitation can occur, where they may view or hear content that could impact their puberty (early puberty), and it can create sexual deviations and other issues that are not suitable for their age.”
According to him, a complete and total ban on the use of smartphones and the internet is neither feasible nor beneficial, because we live in a technological age. However, if parents and schools develop strategies, the harm caused to children can be minimized.
Azimi also said,“If parents serve good role models and can organize their children's daily routines, maintain good communication with them, manage their marital relationships, and create a calm and healthy environment at home, it will help prevent addiction to mobile phones and social media.”
Baz Mohammad Nazari, a Master of Psychology, says that sleeplessness, decreased cognitive performance, mental decline, nervous issues, mental disturbance, and aggression are some of the negative effects of excessive mobile phone use by children.
He added,“When children and adolescents use smartphones and social media before bedtime, it decreases the quality of their sleep, causing them to stay awake late into the night. This harms their relationship with their family, affects their studies and education, and leads to social withdrawal.”
Nazari urged parents not to give mobile phones to children under the age of 16 or to limit their access and encourage them to engage more in real-life games and reading books.
Social media use by children and adolescents must be banned
Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim Dalili, a specialist in internal medicine in the UK, states that with the advancement of technology over the past two decades, mobile phone use has increased, and its excessive use has had negative health, psychological, and social effects on both children and adults.
He explains that excessive use of mobile phones by children and adolescents weakens their eyesight, harms their sleep, weakens their minds, and leads to obesity due to lack of physical activity, which eventually causes issues like diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Dalili citing the recommendations of the World Health Organization, said,“Children under 18 months should not be allowed to use mobile phones at all, and children aged 2 to 5 should not use mobile phones for more than one hour in 24 hours.”
He pointed out that Australia has imposed a ban on social media for children under 16, and will soon become the first country in the world to enforce such a law.
He urged the interim government to impose restrictions on the use of social media by children and adolescents.
Excessive use of phones caused my children to become isolated”
Meanwhile, some parents of these children express concern over their children's excessive use of mobile phones and say they are trying to replace mobile phone use with alternative activities.
Qudratullah Farzan, a resident of Kabul, says that excessive use of mobile phones has caused his children's sleep and study schedules to become irregular, and they have become more isolated from society and their social relationships.
He added that, for this reason, he bought them real-life toys to keep them engaged and help them focus more on their educational programs.
Abdul Karim Rahimi, another Kabul resident, said that his children had repeatedly missed school the day after staying up late using their mobile phones.
He explained that he now sets specific times for his children to use mobile phones, trying to limit their exposure to mobile phones and social media while encouraging them to take an interest in real-life games and recreational activities.
The use of smartphones in Afghanistan, particularly among adolescents and youth, has increased significantly in recent years, with social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok being especially popular among them.
Meanwhile, Australia has recently passed a law prohibiting the use of social media for those under 16, making it the first country in the world to implement such a law.
The Australian government hopes that this ban will satisfy families who are concerned about their children's addiction to social media.
However, Enayatullah Alkozai, a spokesman for the Ministry of Telecommunications and Technology, when asked whether the ministry has plans to impose a ban on social media for children and adolescents, replied that the ministry provides internet services in line with the culture, traditions, and beliefs of the Afghan people.
Alkozai told Pajhwok that the ministry has blocked all unethical websites over the past three years and has also blocked applications and games that were keeping young people and adolescents engaged and wasting their time.
sa/ma
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