Social Media and Family Values - Interesting Debate in National Curriculum Summit 2024

In an age where connection is just a click away, our youth are paradoxically more disconnected than ever. According to the Rector of the Virtual University of Pakistan, Prof Dr Arshad Saleem Bhatti (TI & SI), social media has transformed our children into more unsocial, a dilemma parents across the globe are facing. However, social media, designed to unite people, fosters a culture of isolation, shallow relationships, and performance-driven interaction.

Teenagers, who once thrived in face-to-face interactions, now experience life through filtered lenses, curating their identities for virtual approval. This shift impacts their emotional well-being and their ability to navigate the real world, where empathy and nuanced conversation reign supreme. The solution isn’t to demonize social media but to cultivate digital literacy and balance. Digital literacy, in this context, refers to the ability to critically evaluate online content, understand the implications of one's online actions, and use digital tools responsibly. This can be promoted through education, open discussions, and setting healthy boundaries.

Director Sciences and Technology, Quaid e Azam University Islamabad, Prof. Dr. Muazzam ALi Khan Khattack said that parents, educators, and policymakers, have the power to guide youth toward meaningful use of these platforms. Their role is crucial in emphasizing in-person connections and activities that foster genuine social skills. Let us remind our youth that life’s most profound moments happen in the unfiltered, untweeted spaces where real people, not pixels, reside.

According to Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar, Vice Chancellor of the National Skills University Islamabad, the time to reclaim humanity from the algorithms is not tomorrow, not next week, but now. The longer we wait, the deeper the disconnect becomes.