Facebook, one of the social networking sites, is as popular in Bhutan as in other countries. According to facebook statistics on the website SocialBakers, there are 76,620 facebook users in Bhutan and it is increasing. And the number includes children who are below the age of 15. They make up to 6 percent of the users which translate into 4,600 of them. How healthy is it for these children to be exposed to such networking site at this early age? Our reporter Yeshey Tshokey finds out.
A class in Little Dragon Primary School in Thimphu, BBS found out, has 11 facebook users out of 20 students. All the users under the age of 13. Baskar Acharya, 11, is one of them. “I like being on facebook because I can play games and chat with my friends anytime I want.” He admits that it distracts him from his studies.
Like Baskar, 10 years old Tenzin Thinley uses the site to play games, chat and even watch videos. “It makes me happy.”
Ten years old Dechen Dolma uses facebook for a different reason. “I keep in touch with my mother through facebook who is doing her masters in India.”
According to facebook’s regulation, one should be 13 years of age or older to be eligible to sign up for facebook. Dechen made herself eight years older to be registered with the facebook.
The statistics were more or less same in other schools.
Tenzin Thinely, parent and a teacher says as long as children start using the social networking site not too early, there wouldn’t be as much harm.
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“As a parent and a teacher educating many young children, I think facebook is good since it gives an exposure to our kids and keep them in the loop. But to start at this very young age I think it going to do more harm than good since it can easily influence our children’s thought and distract them from their studies and other important things”
Nanda Devi Mukhia, counselor and a teacher of Changangkha Lower Secondary School said children hit adolescence by nine year old. “They must have lot of things to share and express with their friends so I don’t think facebook is bad.”
But the teacher of Little Dragon Primary School, Nima Wangchuk, disagrees. “Facebook provides access to people’s thought and actions so I am afraid it might not be that good. These young kids could get the wrong idea, get influenced so you can only imagine how bad it can get by the time they grow up”
While there are dividing views on the advantages and disadvantages of social media, many parents and teachers alike agree that there is no escape from the onslaught of the ever growing social networking sites. However, they say, the responsibility lies with the parents and the teachers to let the children know the negative and positive impact of social networking sites.
