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Is Internetinfo power? Critical thoughts …

In the 20th century, the aphorism was popular: “Knowledge is power”, by increasing the scale and paradigm of the 21st century, any information becomes power, deepening media and digital literacy, especially of young people, creating public opinion, developing reading skills and creating media content, inspiring young people / leaders public opinion to co-authorship of the media and the development of critical thinking. The ability to be critical of one’s own facts, one’s own priorities, enhances the dialogue of culture, predicting the results of discussions. Critical thinking is the ability not only to eat information, but to process it, analyze it, form your own attitude towards it and make informed decisions. The basic model of technology for the development of critical thinking, three stages: the first stage is a challenge. the second stage is comprehension. the third stage is reflection.

What makes critical thinking impossible: intellectual laziness, arrogance, lack of respect for evidence, argumentation, They can form the so-called tunnel thinking, due to which a person does not notice anything that is happening outside the perimeter of this corridor. Taking a critical approach can help you avoid these pitfalls and teach you to think more effectively. Digital tools and what you can do in them – interactive, fast, exciting and new, offers to experience success, consolation-recognition, a sense of control, unexpected rewards, etc. stimulates the brain. Therefore, it is very easy for all of us (and, above all, children and young people, whose brains are still developing and very sensitive and receptive to changes), it is very easy to become addicted to the Internet.

Recent brain imaging studies show that digital devices affect the anterior cortex (which controls the organization of actions) in the same way as cocaine. The technology is so over-stimulating that it raises levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter most associated with addiction. On MRI (magnetic resonance therapy), Internet addicts showed changes in the white matter of the brain (fewer connections of nerve cells in the parts of the brain that deal with emotions, decision-making and self-control), and changes were also found in the gray matter of the brain, which was reduced …

Digital Diversity: Benefit and Harm

Digital addiction is a dysfunction of the brain – the brain is no longer working at full capacity, a child or young person may not develop the full potential of their brain abilities.It has been found that one in ten people suffer from Internet addiction, on average 3-5% of children and adults … The development of speech not only in young children suffers, but also in young people and the elderly, which affects the formation of communication skills, attention and concentration of thinking, regulation of emotions and fine motor skills. The risk group includes children and young people who have a habit of being on the Internet in order to improve their mood, turn themselves off from daily stress (for example, things at school or in training have gone wrong or have problems communicating with friends, parents or teachers). Also, the risk group is formed by children and young people who have previously been diagnosed with mood disorders (depression, anxiety attacks), impaired activity and attention, social phobia. Low self-esteem, feelings of loneliness and natural impulsiveness can lead to spending too much time on the Internet.

In addition to the danger of the formation of Internet addiction, those who are keen on excessive use of digital means may have problems with sleep. A link has been found between evening use of gadgets – the bright light-emitting screens of iPads, tablets, computers and smartphones can suspend the natural production of the sleep hormone melatonin and interfere with sleep, not getting the required number of hours of deep sleep and even if it seems that he slept for 7-8 hours, morning and afternoon (chronic) fatigue appears. Sleep disturbances also deepen (cannot fall asleep, wakes up in the middle of the night or too early in the morning). A problem is also presented by young people with a completely broken daily cycle (they are awake during the day, they sleep during the day).

It is necessary to critically approach the consequences of Internet information overload: unsuccessful attempts to limit the time spent on the Internet; euphoria, significantly increased mood while online; irritability and anger when trying to limit time on the Internet, if a person is not on the Internet, he thinks about it, looks forward to a new time on the Internet; online communication is preferred over ordinary eye-to-eye communication; loss of time perception while surfing the Internet; the need to use the Internet more and more; the desire to install all the best hardware and software, to be on the Internet longer; preference for online classes to spend time with friends and family, a person may forget about other previously liked activities; denial of the need for sleep; lies about the time spent on the Internet and what he did there, attempts to secretly use a phone or gadget (for example, when doing homework); problems at school (and at work), in relationships with friends and family – despite the problems, a person cannot reduce the time spent on the network. Can a person analyze and change himself? Physical symptoms appear – increase or decrease in body weight, headaches and back pain, wrist pain, fatigue, dry eyes, vision problems, insomnia, hygiene problems, there is a danger that anxiety, fear and shyness in front of social situations will deepen even more.

It is also worrying that in the digital world, many do not learn to adequately cope with difficult situations (quarrels, disagreements). In the absence of the skill of solving a problem or conflict, communication is interrupted or the computer simply turns off, instead of dealing with the situation. Feelings of frustration at failing at games, texting, socializing on social media, or being asked to leave the screen can be released as an aggressive experience of anger on the computer or an outburst of rage against a parent.

The reality is that children under the age of 13 are also present on social media, so you need to think about how to talk to children about the threats there and about the safe use of (social) media. It is known that there are inappropriate pages, such as porn sites, within a click of a mouse, and children can also face cyberbullying.

Problems of using social networks

Great care is taken to please others. The need to get likes on social media can force teens to make choices that they would not have made in another situation – for example, change their appearance, exhibit negative behaviors (engage in cyberbullying, post inappropriate photos of themselves, etc.), and take risky social challenges. networks.

Cyberbullying. When using social media, there is a danger of cyber bullying, especially among girls. Cyberbullying has been linked to an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.

Comparison. Since teens post only content on social media that puts them in a good light (physical appearance, lifestyle, partying), a moment of comparison will be inevitable. A young person with a more vulnerable worldview and low self-esteem for this reason may feel like a failure, not beautiful enough or successful, which is again associated with the risk of increased frequency of mood disorders.

Lots of false friends. The more friends a person has on their friends list, the more people have access to the teen’s photos and other information, and they can use them for other purposes. There is no privacy on social media.

Decreased eye-to-eye communication. Social skills require daily exercise. It was found that, therefore, the skills of empathy decreased (which, in turn, is associated with bullying).

Information, like food, should be used in a targeted manner, dosed in time, without harming psychological and physical health.