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Social media is a means of interaction between people regardless of race, age or gender.
Various social sites that have found their way to the global space contain contents that are both helpful and inimical to the social behaviours of youths.
As the International Day of Youths is observed across the world, focus on the negative effects of social media on youths and better ways of utilizing the platform for the benefit of the older generation warrants considerable attention.
Annually, International Youths Day is observed to acknowledge the integral position of youths in the world.
A number of issues relating to youths have been addressed among which are drug abuse, moral decadence, violence, and extreme use of social media among other vices
Many youths extensively used social platforms such as Facebook, Wikipedia, Twitter, WhatsApp, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Reddit.
Reports showed that 60%of the world’s population depends on social media. According to the report, it is believed that 82.6percent of youths believed that exposure to social media affects their social behaviour.
Findings revealed that most young people use social media before or after every activity they do and they do not interact with their fellows but communicate with their social friends thereby becoming less social.
With the theme for this year being International youths day: “Intergenerational solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages”, to what extent has social media influenced the behaviour of youths towards their aged parents?
An expert in communication technology and social media, Mr Yemi Omitola said youths are more interested in the images, videos and text that they deployed in their interpersonal relationships.
He added that technology had not only changed the narrative of people’s disposition to work but to older people also.
Speaking on the behavioural disposition of youths to their aged parents amidst social media patronage, Professor of Applied communication, Department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan, Ayo Ojebode said youths could become more bored in view of the old stories being narrated which was completely absent with social media where youths met their peers for communication flow.
Professor of Correctional psychology Department of Guardian and Counselling, Oyesoji Aremu, University of Ibadan said youths had lost touch with the concept of Omoluabi, adding that youths nowadays were more concerned about immediate benefits derivable from social media rather than having concern for their parents
The scholars advised youths to jettison the attraction of social media and be more interested in the words of wisdom handed down to them by their elderly parents.
Gloria Leigh
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