Born in 1983, I have had the opportunity to go through the whole digital transformation boom starting from these commodore computers to MSN messenger, floppy disks, to digitalization of learning, currency and social life, and finally reaching now to the nanotechnology revolution.
It is quite amusing to have been through all these transformations by the least and we are nothing but a lucky generation to have experienced all this evolution. But what I want to tap on in my blog post today is the digitalization of our social life through social media platforms.
It quite intriguing that you can socialize with people overseas, and that was one of the selling points for the creators of social media platforms, but then came their misuse issues, privacy intrusion cases, and these social media challenges that led few of our youth to death or suicide. Swiftly social media platforms became the monster that we keep our children away from all the time. I am one of those parents who was completely against social media exposure for kids at an early age, mainly because I was exposed to a lot of negative stories that made me suspicious, anxious and worried. But now looking at my 5 YO checking TikTok, imitating dance moves, learning the choreography, becoming more confident with herself, and feeling powerful and fun, I realized there is a lot of hidden benefits. We even have our own collective dance class in our own home which is quite a privilege. We are thirsty for those group dances and laugh while learning the choreography together.
I understand that such platforms impose a huge risk on our children’s privacy especially that some has private chat features. But I totally think that handling technology, including use of social media should be taught in schools from now on. Societies’ lifestyles are evolving, and they are becoming more digitalized, so should be our education system. It already went the digitalization route with the Covid-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, digitalization of an education system should not comprise only of online learning. It should also include handling online platforms be it social or knowledge platforms. Us as employees and business owners are all craving for professional development of our digital skills, why not start at an early age.
The threat of online assaults and inappropriate content on social and media sharing platforms can and should be taught to our children in schools maybe in the wellbeing classes at an early age and then social studies as they grow older, only with that the threat can be dissolved and the benefits can be harvested. Different platforms are now shaping societies and Gen Alpha should drive this change with more awareness and in-depth knowledge. We are now way beyond globalization and intercultural education we are on the verge of the creation of fully operational digital societies on the world wide web.
My 5 YO and 3YO want to be Youtubers, and Tiktokers, they want to have their own voice and their own channel, they want to have their own mark on people around them locally and globally at an early age, and why not?! If awareness for online social media platforms is taught in schools the threat is minimized, and our children are all their own celebrities with their own followers and support groups. This is another aspect of digitalization we need to embrace and incorporate in our generation alpha’s education system.
Let us be innovators let us embrace change!
