Exploring the Impacts of Internet and Social Media Exposure on Children: A Survey-Based Analysis

Abstract

For the reason of the widespread of technologies in daily life, the rising rate of internet and social media usage among children has emerged as an important area of research. The purpose of this study is to enhance our knowledge of the impact of unsupervised internet and social media use on children's development and well-being. Data was collected via an online questionnaire divided into two sections. Section A dealt with demography, while Section B discussed the impact of the internet and social media on children. This study surveyed 36 parents to investigate their children's access to various internet information, its consequences on mental and physical health such as eye strain and sleep difficulties, and implications for academic achievement. According to the findings, unsupervised internet interaction can result in behavioural abnormalities in roughly 70% of cases, academic difficulties in around 30.6%, and health issues in about 58.3%. However, parents are using a variety of strategies to mitigate these risks. The survey reveals that 70% of respondents set limits on their children's gadget usage, while 22.2% utilize parental control software. These findings highlight the importance of taking proactive actions to overcome the issues posed by unsupervised digital interaction and create a safer and more beneficial online environment for children.