Growing Global Challenges of Internet Addiction – Impact to the Youth and a Nation

With the rapid advancement of internet penetration across the world and the borderless nature of cyber space, ‘internet and digital addiction’ are becoming a global challenge. This phenomenon is magnified by the unstoppable integration of social media into every aspect of our daily lives. This factor, coupled with the alluring nature of the ever expanding digital entertainment industry, particularly exposes vulnerable and impressionable children and young adults around the world, who fearlessly engage with the digital ecosystem.

The consequences of this extraordinary situation is leaving governments, businesses, institutions, communities and families at a disadvantage to holistically understand and address the rapidly evolving challenges from the dynamic effects of social media and exposure to cyber predators.

This session aims to discuss the signs, symptoms, consequences and actions that need to be taken to harness and address the growing challenges of internet addiction and exposure to the young vulnerable minds.

To ensure full participation and exchange of ideas, this session will be conducted in an interactive manner to maximize the participants’ engagement with international multi-stakeholder panelists from the private sector, government and development agencies, civil society organisations and the digital natives.

Topics of Discussion:

·         The complex triggers that are causing an increase in cyber-crimes and cyber-gangs (cyberbullying, gang violence, knife crimes, self-harm and suicides) leading to the deterioration of our societies, particularly vulnerable children and youth, and the consequences to the future of nations

·         Evolving role of parents, care givers, schools, regulators, private sector and the youth to proactively prepare young digital natives from the risks of internet addiction, cyber predators and harm from living an unbalanced life

·         Expectations, responsibilities and roles of gaming and social media companies, internet service providers and governments to protect the young from digital addiction and exposure, and the consequences of failures

·         Holistic cybersecurity law, policies, regulations and the needs for censorship and more effective controls and take down systems that can create a safe digital space for the young to engage

·         How universal collaborations and innovative use of AI and ML can help tackle the growing multidimensional challenges of internet addiction and exposure to cyber predators