The Director of Pharmaceutical Services and Senior Specialist Clinical Pharmacist at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), Josephine Mensah Boateng, has cautioned that excessive use of social media among children is contributing to declining academic performance, indiscipline and unhealthy behavioural patterns. She urged parents to delay introducing smartphones and tablets to young children, stressing that early and unrestricted access to digital devices could have long-term consequences for their development.
Speaking on Ahotor 92.3 FM’s Adekyee Mu Nsem programme with Nana Dogbe, Mrs. Mensah Boateng explained that children are naturally curious and eager to explore their surroundings. She observed that many parents, due to work and other responsibilities, give smartphones or tablets to children at a very young age—sometimes as early as six or seven months—to keep them occupied. According to her, this early exposure often marks the beginning of an unhealthy dependence on digital devices.
She noted that while social media itself is not inherently harmful, unrestricted access exposes children to content that may not be appropriate for their age. As they grow older, curiosity often drives them to explore online content that can negatively influence their behaviour, attitudes and decision-making.
Mrs. Mensah Boateng stated that although negative behaviours among young people existed before the digital era, social media has accelerated their spread and influence. She expressed concern that many children now spend more time on social media than on educational activities, resulting in poor academic performance. According to her, instead of studying after school, many children devote hours to browsing social media platforms.
She further indicated that excessive social media use contributes to indiscipline, reduced concentration in the classroom and cyberbullying. Some children, she said, imitate abusive language and other inappropriate behaviours they encounter online, while others become less attentive during lessons because they place greater trust in information obtained from social media than from their teachers.
The senior clinical pharmacist also raised concerns over the increasing reliance on artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, for school assignments. She noted that some students copy AI-generated responses without understanding the content, limiting their ability to think critically, solve problems independently and develop their own writing skills.
Mrs. Mensah Boateng therefore urged parents to closely monitor their children’s use of digital devices and encourage healthier alternatives such as reading, storytelling, outdoor play, music, rhymes and family interaction. She emphasised that children are not born with smartphones but are introduced to them by adults, making parental guidance essential to promoting responsible technology use.
She also called on government agencies, educational institutions and child welfare organisations to intensify public education on responsible digital parenting and balanced technology use. She encouraged parents with concerns about their children’s screen habits or development to seek professional advice from qualified healthcare providers instead of relying on unverified information circulating online.
Story by Freedom Etsey Lavoe