A Digital Love Affair

By BEATRICE SHILA MACY

Second Year BA Journalism and Mass Communication Student,  Chuka University 

In an era where digital platforms have dominated our attention to popular apps like Facebook TikTok , Snapchat and Instagram have transcended their initial purpose morphing into vibrant realms of connection and identity. Each app serves as a unique window into our brain reclaiming our attention and ending up destroying our mental health. According to Adithi Nerurkar a Harvard Stress Expert, it rewires your body increasing the risk of heart disease and post-traumatic stress disorder .

Snapchat is designed in a way that the messages, photos or videos sent can disappear after being viewed . This encourages cyber bullying , defamation and sextortion. Even though the snaps disappear any person can take a screenshot or record therefore interfering with privacy or the screenshot snaps can be used to blackmail the victim. ln a show called Brain Rot Emergence hosted by Steve, Dr Jonathan Haidt says most child or sex traffickers use Snapchat because it does not keep records. He goes ahead and insists that there is a handbook used by a criminal organisation which tells how to sextortion kids on Snapchat .

The TikTok app is the most digitally used app by Generation Z .Some of the TikTok challenges can lead to suicidal acts, a good example is the chocking challenge where you cut off air circulation to a point you pass out and then film yourself when you wake up after passing out . 

If you are unlucky then you end up dying. Due to privacy restrictions of the app the victims’ families cannot or do not get justice in court rooms. Yet the deceased was negatively influenced by the videos . The large diversity content produced by TikTok videos shuts the attention span of the viewers .

Social media executives designed them to be super-addictive because more time spent on the apps increases the profit rate .Short movie apps like Drama box , Reel short , Flash box , Short tv have emerged and more are coming up following the market trend by producing short movie clips. This is because it is what the market demands and that is what attracts larger audiences.

Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to rewire itself through neutral connections in response to learning and experiences . Short - form scrolling can cause rapid attention reducing grey matter and impaired frontal cortex activity by heavy users.

According to Doctor Jonathan Haidt, a psychologist and author, no devices should be allowed in the bedroom during sleeping hours. This is to ensure the sleeping pattern is not interfered , shut off notifications or alerts to avoid interactions and deleting off addictive apps to avoid shifting of focuses. As for the kids, zero screen policy should be implemented unless under strict supervision .

Strict measures should be put in place and laws implemented to protect the young teens since they are the future. More than 50 percent of the consumers are young teens and most time is spent consuming the diversity content therefore leading to less productivity not only in human activities but also their studies.