What would you change about modern society?

What would I change about modern society? That is an excellent question!

Well, it can be observed that the number of different social media types, apps, providers, etc., is constantly increasing. Not only is it growing in numbers and variety, but it is also expanding and deepening its impact on society, especially on young people of society since they are easier to influence.

Here lies the main point of the matter that I aim to address. I do not suggest a complete abandonment of social media; I recognize its potential for good when used with mindfulness and restraint. Regrettably, this is not the trend, especially in the schools of the country where I live, in Greece.

Students watch with amazement violent videos on TikTok, which makes it incomprehensible how such videos can be popular. However, students get inspired to imitate these videos and upload them on social media. I have watched many reports on the news about how teenagers, even 8-—to 10-year-old children, fight against each other with fists and kicks for no reason just to show off that they have power and, of course, for the views and likes on social media.

By implementing stricter access to social media for teenagers and children, we can pave the way for a healthier digital environment.

Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok require users to be at least 13 years old to create accounts. I would change that age to 18, as it has been proven that exposure to social media at such a young age is very harmful. Of course, that is not in the interest of these social platforms, as they earn money by increasing their users. The question is, who can face these huge companies? Sadly, if nothing is going to change in the near future, a large majority of parents will raise aggressive, violent children with a dark future, and the other half of parents will be afraid to send their children to school.

At this point, the role of the parents is also crucial. Parents should be more attentive to their children’s activities at school and during their free time. I have noticed many parents outright push their children to get familiar with smartphones, indirectly giving them access to social media, so they can find more free time for themselves, instead of spending some productive and efficient time with their children. We should never forget EDUCATION STARTS FROM HOME.