ABU DHABI, 26th November, 2024 (WAM) -- Participants at the "Digital Generation: Navigating Youth and Media" panel discussion during the first day of the Global Media Congress (GMC), delving into the evolving relationship between young audiences and the digital landscape.
Moderated by Lenah Hassaballah, Editor of CNN Business Arabic, the session featured key insights from industry leaders, including Sandrine Moustafa Elkhodry of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, Fares Akkad from META, and Hussein Freijah of Snapchat, who explored how digital content influences's identity, behaviour, and social interaction among youth.
Fares Akkad opened the discussion by underscoring the rapid evolution of communication driven by technological advancements, while the panel delved into concerns surrounding security within the social media landscape, particularly the need for regulations to monitor access for teenagers.
He highlighted that META employs multiple protective measures to verify the accuracy of profiles but stressed the importance of balancing parental supervision, interference, and the overall security provided. Artificial intelligence is playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of social media, particularly in enhancing these protective measures.
In the Middle East, where 88% of teenagers rely on social media as their primary source of information, there is a notable preference for video content over text, reflecting the region's tendency for early adoption of digital trends.
Moustafa highlighted the increasing concern about the potential for influencing young minds and shaping reality through the content children are exposed to online—a concern that becomes more pronounced as children grow older and parental supervision becomes less effective in this digital age.
She stressed the importance of parents taking a role in monitoring their children's interactions and advocated for collaborative efforts between parents and government regulations to ensure a secure online space for kids.
Freijah added that Snapchat, developed at the dawn of social media, was designed as a positive platform to foster connections, particularly resonating with its largest user base in Saudi Arabia. With privacy as a core feature, Snapchat ensures only friends can access profiles, and its design aimed to make interactions both secure and engaging.
The conversation also delved into the dangers presented by advancing technologies such as AI and VR that could potentially cause teenagers to get lost in a world of avatars and live streaming if not properly regulated. This emphasised the crucial importance of parents being actively involved and having guidelines in place to ensure a healthy environment.
The session concluded with unanimous agreement that unrestricted and unmonitored access to social media for children is unacceptable, underscoring the collective responsibility to protect younger generations online.