How I Started “Offline”: A Journey to Protect Young Kids from the Dark Side of Social Media
By Nirupama Shivakumar
Witnessing the horrible experiences a few close friends had after being cyber-bullied prompted me to act. These teens were coerced by online bullies into creating videos of themselves in return for cash payments through platforms such as Cash App. My stomach churned and I felt repulsed when I learned about it. Unfortunately, my friends lacked the adult supervision and guidance at home to navigate this situation.
Recognizing the dark underbelly of social media, I decided to create “Offline” so I could educate elementary school students on the pitfalls of social media before they become participants themselves. The core concept of the program is to intervene early and hence the principle “catch them young”. “Offline” is a comprehensive program that helps students develop healthy digital identities while navigating the complexities of social media responsibly. The program aims to create a strong positive impact on kids’ mental health.
When I visit these elementary schools to host workshops, I find that young kids are already engaging on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Technology seems to be infiltrating the lives of children very early on; hence, there is an urgent need to educate and equip kids with the tools they need for safe online behavior. Unfortunately, the existing algorithms and policing content measures of different platforms fall short, emphasizing the need for early intervention and tighter legislations for online safety.
Social media and much needed legislation
While watching the televised January 31,2024 proceedings of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where prominent social media CEOs faced scrutiny over shortcomings on their platforms related to child safety, I wondered if lawmakers would finally take legislative action to protect kids’ online safety. Despite many such hearings in Washington D.C., any meaningful legislation has been elusive, often attributed to the powerful lobbies. During the Committee proceedings, it was heart wrenching to see parents carrying pictures of their children whose deaths were tied to social media harassment and threats. The CEO of Meta apologized to these parents during the proceedings. The recent advisory from the US Surgeon General regarding mental health and social media is timely and underscores the detrimental effects of social media on teen well-being
Finally the Kids Online Safety Act was passed in July 2024 to protect kids and teens online. Congress, acting in the right direction by enacting supportive legislation, and Meta leading the way for setting industry standards is a welcome change. Addressing this pressing societal issue requires collective action from lawmakers, industry leaders, educators, and parents to ensure a safe online environment for future generations. With the current momentum for change, the time to tighten safety standards on online platforms is now before children’s mental health challenges reach unmanageable levels.
About the author:
Niru is a senior from San Jose, California who is extremely interested in policy and mental health. As founder of Offline, she collaborates with groups of people from all across the Bay Area to spread their message about the connection between technology and youth well being.