There has been frequent discussion about the increasing use of mobile and social media and the health problems caused by it. Now the Australian government has taken a big step in this direction. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has decided to ban the use of any kind of social media for children under the age of 16 in the country. The PM said, the use of social media is proving to be harmful for children, it is not good for their mental health. The proposed laws for this will be introduced in Parliament next week.
The government has adopted a strict attitude and said that if information is received about breaking these rules, then the company will be responsible for it, and strict action and fines will be imposed on it. Once the law is passed, companies will be given one year in which they will have to decide how the rules can be followed.
Mental health experts consider this decision of the Australian government as very good and necessary.
Increasing use of social media
According to the Pew Research Center, the US. In the U.S., 69% of adults and 81% of teens use social media. According to data, in the year 2023, there were an estimated 4.9 billion (490 crore) social media users worldwide. The average person spends 145 minutes on social media every day.
Seeing posts from friends and family on social media can be a way to make you feel connected to them, although it also has a negative side.
Studies show that excessive use of social media is increasing the problem of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and FOMO (fear of missing out), which can hurt our overall health. Such cases have been seen more in adolescents and young adults.
Social media is not good for mental health.
Many researches on mental health indicate that excessive use of social media can increase feelings of anxiety and depression, especially in adolescents and young adults. The addictive nature of social media activates the reward center of the brain by releasing a chemical called dopamine in the brain. This makes you feel good.
However, when you do not get the likes or comments you want, problems like stress and anxiety start increasing. In the long run, it can also have a negative and serious effect on mental health.
What do mental health experts say?
In a conversation with Amar Ujala, Dr Satyakant Trivedi, a senior psychiatrist at a hospital in Bhopal, welcomed this decision of the Australian government and called it a very necessary step. Dr Satyakant says, such decisions should be taken in India as well, however, before this parents should understand the need and stop the excessive use of mobile social media by children.
The use of social media has seen the feeling of FOMO increasing in many people. Knowing about friends and other people through social media can make you feel that other people are having more fun than you or are living a better life. This kind of feeling can increase many types of problems in mental health.
Social media addiction is dangerous.
Dr Satyakant says, most of the patients complaining of depression in OPD have been seen to have social media addiction. Cyberbullying is also a growing problem that can be very disturbing for children and adolescents. It is a problem that seriously affects self-esteem and mental health.
Parents should ensure that children stay away from social media platforms, and instead make friends around and play with them outside. Other countries of the world also need to learn from this decision of the Australian government.
(PC: ISTOCK)
