Excessive freedom on social media has a toxic effect!

President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan was a live guest on the program Günün İçinden by  TRT Haber. Tarhan evaluated the ongoing debate in various countries about “banning social media for those under 16.” Emphasizing the effects of social media on individuals, Tarhan stated that boundlessness is not freedom and pointed out that this is a teaching of modernism. Tarhan highlighted that in such cases, the balance between freedom and responsibility is disrupted, and excessive freedom has a toxic effect. Instead of completely banning screens, he suggested saying "no" to individuals along with reasonable explanations.

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan discussed the topic of banning social media for certain age groups, which is an issue that has been implemented or debated by various countries in recent years, on TRT Haber live broadcast.

Children did not know where to stop…

Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan highlighted the significance of social media and stated that "Should there be an age limit?" is an important question, but why is such a restriction necessary? The need for such a limitation has existed for many years. We see people who have been victimized because of this. Boundlessness is not freedom; this must be understood. Excessive freedom on social media has a toxic effect! Modernism in the West advocated giving children complete freedom. That was the teaching of modernism. While it emphasized "Let them be free so they can become individuals," the boundary between freedom and responsibility was blurred. As a result, children did not know where to stop. Unlike animal offspring, human children are born psychologically premature. For example, a duckling can swim as soon as it is born, but a human learns to walk at one year old and differentiates between good and bad at fifteen. Humans become truly human through social learning. Without social learning from birth, we cannot learn to love humanity. Children fail to learn moral values, ethical principles, where to stop, and how to behave. There are about 50 documented cases of "feral children" found in the wild. These cases show that unless children experience the natural consequences of their actions, they cannot learn.

"Children between the ages of 0-6 perceive everything in concrete terms"

Tarhan emphasized that life is learned through abstract thinking and continued his remarks as follows: "We observe that children between the ages of 0-6 perceive everything in concrete terms. They watch a video and think it’s real. They hear a fairy tale or a story and believe it to be true. Later, they realize, ‘That story wasn’t real,’ and this way, they start learning abstract thinking. After this, they begin distinguishing between the abstract and the concrete. In very intelligent children, this process may start as early as 3-4 years old. Generally, abstract learning begins after the age of six. Along with this, children learn about life. They learn concepts such as good-bad, right-wrong, useful-useless, safe-unsafe, others’ rights versus their own, and empathy. These are not innate traits."

"The child has become the little ruler of the household"

Tarhan pointed out the shift from a patriarchal culture to a child-centered family model and made the following remarks: "The boundaries of life are the realities of life. A child who does not know what is right or wrong needs parental guidance. Parents need to act as guides. If children are not shown where to stop, they will not learn it. As a result, cases of suicide, violence, and bringing weapons to school are increasing, especially in the U.S. The highest rates of school refusal are seen among these children. We used to talk about patriarchal families, but now we have become child-centered families. The child has become the little ruler of the household. This is related to a misinterpretation of freedom. Parents must teach their children the balance between freedom and responsibility."

"Parents use tablets as cheap babysitters"

Emphasizing that instead of banning, children should be told "no" along with reasonable explanations, Tarhan stated that "Children between the ages of 0-6 should not be exposed to screens without parental supervision. However, parents give children tablets to make them eat. They use tablets as cheap babysitters. As a result, children become unable to eat without a screen. There are cases where parents come to us, saying, ‘Our child cannot learn to speak.’ I have encountered many such cases. Parents suspect autism, but upon examination, we see excessive screen exposure. Because the child has not been required to produce words, their brain remains in passive mode, just listening and smiling. Parents think, ‘Oh, they are having a great time,’ but the child is unable to form age-appropriate sentences. When we explain the reasoning and gradually remove the screen, children adapt very quickly. Especially those aged 0-6 adapt almost instantly. If both parents use a consistent approach, adaptation is achieved. Instead of outright banning, children should be given clear and logical reasons when saying ‘no.’ No matter their age, we should explain things to them as if they were adults, but we should not expect adult behavior from them."

"It may seem convenient, but it turns a child’s world upside down"

Tarhan emphasized the importance of using social media for the right purposes as follows: "Right now, our children are becoming victims of social media. Social media appears fun and convenient, but it turns a child's world upside down. This is because children do not yet understand good from bad. Social media should be seen as a tool, not a goal. Parents must be firm and use a consistent approach. Children often attempt to negotiate when they see their parents using different approaches. Adolescence is already a turbulent period. In such situations, agreement between parents is essential. Using social media for educational purposes is one thing, while using it for entertainment is another. This is why parents should not back down on this issue."

Different approaches should be taken for those under and over 13…

Tarhan emphasized that it is essential to evaluate this issue separately for children under and over the age of 13 and concluded his remarks as follows: "Implementation should be gradual. Suddenly taking away a child's smartphone is like reducing the speed of a car from 150 km/h to 60-70 km/h in an instant, and thus, it will be met with resistance. This needs to be adjusted according to age groups. Parental supervision is crucial between the ages of 0-6. Between 6 and 12 years old, this rule works very well. When legal regulations are in place, it strengthens parents' ability to enforce these rules."

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)