Howraar Media

The Impact of Social Media on Somali Youth

Social media refers to all applications and websites or blogs that enable people around the globe to interconnect via the internet, chat, and share content, video call among many other functionalities it offers to its users.

The past two decades has been good, and eventful, since social media emerged and gained tremendous growth and widespread use in countries around the world, especially young generation who have benefited from it, and simplified their daily activities, unlike previous generations who were mostly unlucky to see and use this innovative technology.

But apart from these handful benefits social media brought to this generation, it also came a long with many hidden and far reaching problems, it certainly made the life easier for youngsters in connecting and socializing generally, but Somali youth in particular fall victims to these new unaccustomed ways of communication unknowingly and inadvertently contributed to the demise of their culture, health, morals, and most importantly to their way of live. because of my concern and connection to the topic, i liked to write a little bit about it and share with you here.

While there are benefits that are often overstated, and exaggerated, the risks and problems that social media poses are enormous and unimaginable.

Its widespread use can be seen anytime, anywhere, and you may sometimes see someone who is engaged in telephone falling into potholes, accidents or other dangerous scenarios, but that is just tip of iceberg in terms of misuses , misconducts, and unethical practices, that's going on these platforms, such as tiktok, YouTube, shorts, Facebook reels, whatsapp and many more.

It is not correct to say, it is all misused, there are very few people who use it in a good way, and as means of communicating with friends, colleagues, parts of their families abroad, work, etc. but it's often misused by the majority to the detriment of their values, and it can be categorized as follows.

Some of them use as a tool to work and earn a living by sending inaccurate messages, such as posting fake news, holding a competition of praise and insults in between the clans which they use extort money from the individual to support respective inclintions, Which sometimes gives you the impression that this is a pre-planned mechanism to harvest money from those innocent individuals, whose emotions are manipulated, and their tribal sentiments aroused, which is the weakest point of Somali society, and this group took advantage of that sensitivity.

Some use it in a nasty, explicitly dirty talk, and vulgar languages, which shockingly becoming normal among the youth, boys and girls alike, and even some elderly people.

Many societies around the world, similarly used social media, but they have managed early enough to identify and be aware of the benefits, and the harms. They have worked extensively and researched ways to curb its effects, and subsequently have enacted laws to hold accountable those who violate sanctity of their existence.

Although, somalia has no government capable of controlling everything, yet we have failed to recognize and deal with it, as a gov't and as a society the danger, and the hidden problems our children are exposed to, in the name of having fun, entertainment, etc. and as usual parents are informed and showed the good part of it, which also taking advantage of their lack of knowledge and awareness.

I would like to conclude that, our independent and private media are busy analyzing, and talking about politics, day in day out and that's understandably their business and livelihood. but their responsibility covers every aspect of the public live.

They could have at least predicted and warn the public about this culture erosion, that we faced now, because they have access to the information before anyone else. Unfortunately our traditions, way of live, and values are in question and deminishing slowly right in front of them, and unless we do something about it and wait another decade or so, we'll reach a point of return. God forbid that. My hope is that we wake soon enough and stop this madness behavior.

Stop nationalizing your stupid unjustified posts, ideas, which wholeheartedly meant misleading the public, giving the new administration unfavorable look in the eyes of the public, making miner administrative changes as betrayal.

because you don't agree with the current administrator's actions doesn't mean they wrong, like today's case of withdrawing security from Kulane, does MP Kulane still has security clearance, or people still think it's good idea to share intelligence matters with everyone and every time. yes he was member of intelligence agency, but not any more.

He's no longer a NISA man, so there's no way he should still keep NISA agents as his personnel guards and it's not about mistakes they've made, it's because people are stepping out of their limits and getting involved in everything, turning good and well executed ideas into insults.

They've been Elected or selected to that job, and manage things in each way they see as proper and right, they not there to listen other people and do what they're told. stop your perceived perfectionism, nationalism, which, in reality is just a mere trabalism, short-sighted.