Just My 2Kobo: What Are Our Kids Up To On The Social Media

By Ella
A lot has been happening lately on our social media that has got me thinking. When the social media started out (especially in Nigeria) it came with a new level of communication for people, then it extended to helping promote businesses, increase awareness of various things happening around us locally and globally, etc. But suddenly it seems it has gone up to another level, entirely different from what it used to be.

We are now in an era where being famous seems to be everything. It marvels me to see that  a lot of people are now doing anything, and I mean anything to get their names out there – doesn’t matter if they have to go the immoral route. With social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Keek and Instagram, our youths do not bother to work hard for fame and success anymore. And who can blame them, when girls instantly trend just by posting their unclad photos on Twitter and Instagram?  They get worldwide attention just by posting a Youtube or Keek video- it just seems like the perfect answer for fame-obsessed young people.

Let’s face it, we can go on and on about how repugnant some of those acts are, but the fact remains that they still pique our interests, we still talk about them and give them what they are looking for – ATTENTION!  Very recently, even some well known celebs are also trying to raise their profile and have now resorted to posting virtually unclad photos of themselves, pictures of them doing drugs and the likes. Disgusting.

The young ones are not exempted. Secondary school students now put up “sexual” pictures of themselves on these social media sites, and since most parents don’t even get the appeal of some of these sites, they have no idea what their kids are up to.

70% of parents are either terribly ignorant or way too careless! If not, how do we explain the high rate of immorality and early exposure among kids nowadays? I still maintain that these checks should start from the home because that is the bane and root of any society. Agreed, some of our parents are illiterate and may be forgiven but these days we have more parents who are aware than those who aren't. if the right amount of check is put in place it will drastically cut down these excesses. We all can't claim to be too busy making money and leave our children at the mercy of the social media and bad company.

It is not too late to make amends. If we must get it right, the importance of parents knowing their children and what they do,watch or read cannot be over emphasised .I also implore our celebrities who these young ones look up too to show better examples . Great caution has to be taken.  We cannot allow something (social media) we (man) created become an uncontrollable  monster and destroy the future of this generation.

I write this in good faith, hoping and praying for a better Nigeria.