The session was very interactive and engaging.
Access & Learning: Digital tech fuels creativity, self-expression, and global connectivity (highlighted in infographic).
•Support Tools: Mindfulness apps, self-help tools, and teletherapy platforms offer emotional support and broader service access. Benefits of screen time (moderate use): Recent research shows that moderate screen use (especially educational content) has minimal harm and could offer benefits
•Social Connectivity: Some studies even suggest children with more screen time may have more close friends
Problematic Behaviours in Adolescents: Social Media and Gaming. Problematic social media use: 11% of adolescents (girls: 13%, boys: 9%) – World Health Organisation.
Problematic gaming: 12% are at risk, with boys more affected than girls – World Health Organisation.
Screen Time and Mental Health. Half of teenagers (aged 12–17) in the United States spend four or more hours per day on screens. Among them:27.1% report symptoms of anxiety, 25.9% report symptoms of depression – CDC. Perceptions and Self-Impact 48% of teenagers believe social media has a negative effect on their peers (up from 32% in 2022). .25% of girls, compared with 14% of boys, feel it harms their own mental health – Pew Research Center.
Established Mental Health Risks Systematic reviews consistently link social media use to an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress – Stanford Law School. Online Abuse Impacts Online platforms can expose young people to predators, sexual abuse, and bullying.
Such exposure is strongly associated with heightened anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts across multiple countries – UNICEF.
Some of the negatives of Tech were: Online Abuse Impacts
,Perceptions & Self-Impact: Mental Health Risks with High Screen Time: Systematic show social media use is associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress.
Technology also has positive impacts, such as an increase in business growth by advertising online and cross-selling.
Some participants agree that the pandemic increased online usage, and since then, there has been a tremendous dependence on technology for shopping, gaming, studying etc
There was another school of thought that says that dependence on technology was reducing creativity
A participant showed us the paintings on his wall, which he made while being alone offline. He said he would not have been that creative if he were always on his phone or iPad scrolling endlessly. So he said, being offline can increase creativity.
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