Navigating the risks of a screen-dependent generation
LETTER: The decision by Australia and Malaysia to restrict social media access for children under 16 reflects growing concerns over cyberbullying, harmful content, excessive screen use and the addictive nature of algorithm driven platforms.
Australia and Malaysia have imposed restrictions on children under 16 accessing social media in a bid to address growing concerns over cyberbullying, harmful content, excessive screen time and the addictive nature of algorithm-driven platforms. Dr Hijaz Ridzwan, a psychiatrist at the International Islamic University Malaysia, warns that young children are still developing emotionally and are more susceptible to impulsive decisions and social influence on social media, where they may encounter content they cannot fully comprehend or manage due to insufficient emotional maturity.
A concerning Malaysian study found that 91.4 percent of children below five exceeded recommended screen time limits, with an average of three hours per day. This time could be better spent on activities like reading, playing and interacting with family members. Children learn crucial social customs and unwritten rules of life from parents and adults through observation and real-world interaction, not from screens.
The term "popcorn brain" is used to describe the impact of constant digital stimulation, highlighting the real concern that excessive screen use can encroach upon essential activities such as sleep, physical exercise and meaningful human interaction, potentially affecting concentration, communication, emotional regulation and problem-solving skills.
UNESCO reported in March 2026 that 114 education systems, representing 58 percent of countries, have banned mobile phones in schools, emphasizing that technology should enhance learning, not become a constant distraction. A UNICEF study involving 21,000 children aged 12 to 17 across 21 countries suggests that approximately 20 million internet-using children experienced online sexual exploitation or abuse in a single year.
The greatest danger lies not in children lacking knowledge about technology but in them being well-versed in screens and lacking exposure to the real world. Parents should encourage their children to engage in reading, outdoor play, conversation, imagination and boredom, learning to wait, communicate, concentrate and solve problems without immediately resorting to screens.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
