Akinade has been scrolling on his phone for the past few hours. During this time, he burnt his food and forgot to take in his laundry before the rain started. When his roommate asked him how his day had been, he couldn’t reply because he had spent most of the day watching aimless videos on the internet. He reflects about his recent struggles with internet use and his inability to control his use and knows he is in trouble. But he shakes it off and tells himself it is not such a big deal.

Adamu, in a fit of anger and frustration, shared his feelings after a fight with his best friend on X (formerly Twitter). The post has gone viral, and his best friend is extremely angry about it. Their relationship has become strained, and he has begun to receive harassing messages from anonymous people. He has become anxious about sharing his feelings and has become sad and resentful. He just wanted to vent online but now he is getting a lot of grief and was unable to sleep because of the worrying messages. He never meant for any of this to happen.

Chiamaka happily shared news of her new job and the accruing benefits at the beginning of the year. Since she did, she has been receiving multiple messages from people soliciting funds. Last week, she argued with a fellow internet user, and they sent an email to the HR of her department stating that her behaviour is not aligned with the company’s brand image – putting her job at risk.

Adetola is a twelve-year-old girl whose family creates content regularly online. Her parents noticed that she had stopped eating for several days and had been rather gloomy. After multiple queries by her parents, she told them she wants to lose weight because the internet fans said she’s fat and ugly.

These fictional stories are the realities of many people. Internet safety has become a growing concern, not just because of the security challenges, but also due to the harm it has on people’s mental health. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1 in 10 adolescents experience negative consequences of social media use. Adults also get emotionally disturbed and, in some instances, have led to serious consequences such as suicide.

Impact of Internet Use on Mental Health

• Excessive internet usage has also been associated with the death of brain cells in the emotional and cognitive regions of the brain in people of different ages.
• Frequent use of social media is linked to depression, anxiety, lower self-esteem, paranoia and body image issues.
• Cyberbullying has been on the increase, especially with the development of AI-generated images and deepfakes. Victims of online bullying are twice as likely as others to self-harm or attempt suicide.
• Exposure to harmful content on the internet also normalizes unhealthy coping mechanisms and increases distress.
• Excessive screen time can result in irregular sleep patterns, decreased physical activity, headaches and/or eye strain.
• Digital addiction can also occur due to the use of the internet for pleasurable activities. This leads to dependence and inability to stay off digital devices.

In recognition of these concerns, Australia and France have banned the use of social media platforms by children. Other countries like Spain, Denmark, Italy, Norway, and South Korea have placed some restrictions requiring parental consent, restricting use in schools, amongst others.

Safer Internet Day is commemorated on the 10th of February every year to advocate for safer internet and digital space for all. It is a global initiative to promote the safe and responsible use of the internet and other digital technologies for children and young people. A safer internet for everyone also means better mental health outcomes for all internet users, especially young people.

Strategies for Online Safety and Optimal Mental Health

1. Set and maintain restrictions: Limit social media to a few minutes or hours a day and track your usage. Avoid websites and platforms with harmful or sexual content. Limiting your use will help you reduce possible signs of anxiety and loneliness.
2. Create safe spaces: Block, report, and mute accounts that promote harassment or negativity. Avoid websites and platforms with harmful or sexual content. Actively follow accounts like @asidofoundation that promote positive, supportive, and educational content.
3. Critical thinking: Remember that social media highlights a curated and unrealistic version of life. Learn to critically examine and do not trust all sources of information, especially in this era of AI-generated contents
4. Parental Guidance and Monitoring: Parents should discuss risks and online experiences with children to build resilience. They should also use parental controls to restrict access to inappropriate content and reduce the usage of the internet by young people.
5. If the internet is causing you distress, it is okay to take a digital detox by restricting use for as long as needed.