Are children spending too much time online?

It’s common for social media users to update their followers or contacts on where they are and what they’re doing, but this isn’t the wisest thing to do, especially for children or teenagers. Photo taken before MCO. Photo: Unicef

Sixteen-year-old Darshini Kumar spends about 12 hours online every day. It has increased ever since the movement control order started because she can’t go to school and has to do her studies remotely. Since she also can’t go out for activities like she used to, she “hangs out” with her friends on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and others.

“The in-thing to do now is to hang out online and host virtual parties and meet-ups,” says the Form Four student from Kuala Lumpur. She admits having attended several “virtual parties” hosted by her friends during the conditional MCO.