Sharade Kamalanathan

(Information Security Compliance Officer (Master in Business Studies Human Resources Management and Finance (Gold Medallist – HRM Consistent Topper in UG and PG Certified))

The world of technology and social media is deeply interwoven in our lives, and today’s generation of children are using digital devices and social media platforms for the purpose of communication, learning, and entertainment. However, the use of technology by children has been a source of concern regarding their welfare and safety. The article examines the dangers an advantages for kids’ use of technology and social media.

Establish screen time limits: Children should have limited screen time to ensure that they get enough physical activity, sleep, and social interaction. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children between 2-5 years old should restrict screen time to less than one hour every day while those above six years should have consistent restrictions on their digital device usage.

Keep a tab on their online activities: Parents need to monitor their kids’ internet activities to avoid exposure to unsuitable content as well as cyber bullying or online predators. They may also employ parental control software blocking certain websites restricting internet access as well as tracking what their kids do on this network.

School their children about online safety: Kids must be taught about cyber security and various ways of saving their personal data as well as escaping from cyber bullying or identifying online scam. Some useful tools that can assist in teaching young ones about internet security include Common Sense Media and NetSmartz.

Engage children in activities away from computers: Children should be allowed to take part in other activities offline such as sports, hobbies and other creative endeavours to make sure that they develop healthily and acquire social skills. Parents should set aside some time for family-related things like playing board games, outdoor games, and reading.

Set an example for responsible use of technology: In order to have a healthy attitude towards technology, parents should limit the amount of screen time spent by themselves, keep away from using any digital devices while eating together with family or spending joint leisure hours and ensure proper digital citizenship is manifested.

Risks:
Cyberbullying: Social media platforms are one of the sources through which youngsters can be exposed to cyber bullying that might harm their mental state as well as overall healthiness.

Online Predators: Children may fall victim to the hands of online predators who exploit them having targeted them on social media sites.

Addiction: The problem here is that children can start abusing gadgets including internet addiction thus leading to poor academic performance, staying away from society and insomnia from this kind of syndrome.

Inappropriate Content Exposure: Children may be exposed to inappropriate content such as violence, pornography, and hate speech on social media platforms and other digital devices.

Benefits:
Education: Technology and the social media can also be used for learning purposes as kids have access to educational resources, get involved in online courses, and collaborate with peers and educators.

Socialization: Social media platforms help children link up with their friends and relatives residing in different locations, establishing a socially connected society.

Creativity: Digital art, music production as well as video making through technology is one way by which children bring out their creativity using social media.

Children’s entertainment: These technology applications including social media provide games, music and videos that are interactive enough to keep the child entertained.

Conclusion
There are many dangers and advantages in the use of technology and social media by children. For example, parents and carers ought to know about associated risks and work toward minimizing them for instance, putting a restriction on their screen time or keeping an eye on what they do online. However, they can also foster computer literacy at schools while appreciating the educational, socializing as well as creative opportunities surrounding it. Consequently, parental influences in this field can enable young people to have positive experiences during their interactions with digital technologies.