When Mr. Omolaja Adebukola and his wife decided to buy Bimbo, their 14-year-old-daughter an Internet-enabled mobile smartphone, it was to enable her to communicate seamlessly with other members of the family, whenever the need arose.When Mr. Omolaja Adebukola and his wife decided to buy Bimbo, their 14-year-old-daughter an Internet-enabled mobile smartphone, it was to enable her to communicate seamlessly with other members of the family, whenever the need arose.
Upon threats of being reported to her father, Bimbo swiftly opened the pass-worded “calculator” to reveal a strong cache of x-rated movies and other creeping contents that were far from being age-appropriate. Like the Adebukolas, a mother of three teenagers, who prefers to be identified as Mrs. Angela E.D. suffered the same fate after her 15-year-old daughter strayed into the arms of perverts online, who caused the young girl to go berserk and throw caution to the wind.
According to her: “I nearly ran mad that my 15-year-old daughter could get so low. I immediately enlisted her for a therapy, where she was thoroughly debriefed. At home, she was dispossessed of digital devices and barred access to the Internet completely for a long while before being granted limited time under watchful eyes. I consider myself lucky that she was found out before she went completely haywire.
While they savour the many benefits offered by the Internet because of their sheer exuberance and spirit of adventure, a sizeable part of them is not able to differentiate between what is beneficial, and what is harmful to them until it is sometimes a bit too late. “Nigerian teens’ social connectivity indicated that they rely extensively on the mobile phone and the mobile Internet to communicate, stay connected, share, and feel a part of a social group. Mobile phones provide a dependable means for seamless communication and accomplishment of communicative goals like making plans, asking for and offering help, and reducing the cost and stress of friendship.
“Another concern is the prevalence of social media and the risk of cyber-bullying. Social platforms can be breeding grounds for negativity and harmful behaviours, and I want to protect my children from such experiences until they are better equipped to handle them emotionally. Privacy is also a significant concern. Adolescents may not fully grasp the importance of safeguarding personal information online, potentially putting themselves at risk.