The latest publication by the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) titled Stories in the Pocket: Tales from Social Media highlights the risks, impacts, and opportunities of social media usage. The booklet will be introduced on Children’s Day, as announced by the authority’s communications department on Friday.
The statement noted that social media plays a significant role in young people’s lives: according to NMHH research, children use popular social media sites daily, with 65 per cent of 13 to 17-year-olds visiting TikTok and 62 per cent visiting Instagram at least once a day.
However, since parents cannot always be certain about what exactly happens on the screens when their children are ‘on their mobiles’, it is crucial to educate young people about awareness, so they can make responsible decisions when using various applications, NMHH emphasized.
Stories in the Pocket: Tales from Social Media introduces readers to the risks, impacts, and opportunities of social media usage through five stories. The characters are on a school trip where events are shaped by different social media platforms.
The aim of the publication is to discuss the inherent aspects of social media in a context that is easily understandable for young people,
allowing them to form opinions on situations familiar to them, as explained in the statement.
Additionally, important guidelines on the dangers of sharing intimate photos, the separation of online and offline personas, how targeted content works, credible information, the dangers of online challenges, and the idealized images portrayed on social media are included at the end of the booklet, separated from the five stories.
The supplementary content and references can be accessed by clicking on QR codes placed within the publication. The new booklet is available at the NMHH website and it can also be picked up at the Safe Internet Tent during the City Park Children’s Day organised by the International Children’s Safety Service over the weekend.
Related articles:
