For instance, a highly problematic behaviour that has become commonplace is the tendency for shy or anxious children to hide behind their screens when they become uncomfortable in social settings. Screens also hinder our children from practicing their social skills which start to develop from an early age. More often than not, they present a fabricated version of themselves through their avatars and consequently, are unable to fully experience what it means to form deep bonds with their peers that stretch beyond a two-dimensional connection. For many teens, communication has taken on an avatar form, or an ‘alter ego,’ with a significant amount of their ‘social’ interactions occurring in the virtual world, be it through social media platforms, or multiplayer games.
These days, we see more and more children and teens hunched over their phones, thumbs working furiously to keep up with the pace at which their brains are consuming the slew of online content. And the American Psychological Association has declared the loneliness epidemic to be a bigger public health crisis than obesity! How did we get here? In fact, one recent study found that nearly half of the American population reported significant levels of loneliness. The result is that we are feeling more pervasively alienated and isolated than ever before. There is something missing from the interactions between our digital avatars. These digital connections simply can’t live up to real face-to-face human bonding. One would think that with the capacity to connect instantly with anyone with the click of the button, we would feel socially and emotionally fulfilled. While it has made us more connected, it has become the ultimate source of a sinister phenomenon that has been sweeping the world: Loneliness. However, Internet, the greatest invention, may be to blame. What do these platforms have in common? They have all made it exponentially easier for us to connect with people from virtually all corners of the world.