They are conducting their activities by opening groups on social media platforms such as Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp or IMU. So, the news reaches other members of the group in different places instantly. As a result, they gather in one place within a short period of time and commit incidents like attacks, vandalism and murder.
Aditi Karim : Social media is pushing children and adolescents to the brink of destruction. Various countries around the world have banned or restricted the use of social media like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube for children and adolescents. Many countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Denmark, Spain, and Australia, have announced restrictions on children’s use of social media.
The situation has reached such a stage that the misuse of information technology has become a major reason for the increase in juvenile crime. It has been seen that our children and teenagers are now going through a terrible time. The biggest obstacle to the development of children is now social media. Instead of books, we are giving smart devices to young children. Children are becoming addicted to mobile phones. They can watch whatever they want freely. Instead of studying, their eyes are always on the device.
Yet, in Bangladesh, we remain largely indifferent to this growing epidemic.The transition from books to smart devices has been swift and damaging. Instead of nurturing their minds with literature, we are handing toddlers smartphones to keep them quiet. This “temporary relief” for parents is laying the foundation for a lifelong addiction. By the time these children reach adolescence, the digital world often leads them toward darker paths—pornography, drug temptation, and the violent culture of “teenage gangs.
“A chilling reality has emerged from recent crime data: technology is the backbone of juvenile delinquency. Modern gangs no longer wait on street corners; they mobilize in the shadows of private groups on platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Imo. These apps allow 30 to 100 teenagers to gather at a moment’s notice, coordinated by instant notifications, to commit acts of vandalism, assault, or even murder. The speed of information has outpaced the speed of parental and legal oversight.The damage is not just physical or criminal; it is psychological.
Trillion-dollar algorithms are designed to trap young minds, leading to sleep deprivation, anxiety, and a total loss of concentration in studies. Beyond the screen, the consequences are even more fatal. Recent reports indicate that social media was a factor in at least 209 suicides last year. It has also been linked to an increase in child marriages and the alarming rise of digital blackmail and sexual harassment against young girls.The question we must ask is: how can a single family compete with a global algorithm designed to exploit human psychology?
It is unrealistic to leave parents to fight this battle alone. While the world takes legislative steps to protect its youth, Bangladesh must act now.The government must prioritize the regulation of social media platforms. We are losing the vitality, creativity, and mental health of our next generation to an uncontrolled digital abyss. Without immediate control and systemic monitoring, the “beautiful future” we envision for our children will remain a dream lost in the scrolls of a newsfeed.
Author: Writer and playwright, Email: auditekarim@gmail.com
