By Prof Dr Selvakumar Manickam

The Internet revolution has brought extraordinary benefits and fuelled rapid innovation. Yet alongside this progress came the rise of social media, a defining pillar of Web 2.0.

This new era transformed the web from static, read-only pages into interactive, user-driven platforms.

What began as a tool for sharing knowledge and connecting people has gradually evolved into an ecosystem that too often enables exploitation, manipulation and harm.

For today’s teenagers, the smartphone is more than a device; it is their town square, entertainment hub and primary channel of self-expression.

But as social media tightens its grip on the daily lives of young users, a troubling reality is emerging.

The very platforms that promised connection are rapidly becoming environments filled with profound risks.

Although many adolescents view these apps as essential for socialising, evidence is mounting that the dangers of the digital world are expanding faster than the features that attract them.

Illusion of privacy

The first and perhaps most alarming threat is the illusion of privacy. In their eagerness to connect, young users often share personal information without understanding how it can be exploited.

The result is a generation growing up with a dangerously limited awareness of data security. This problem extends far beyond identity theft.

The openness of social media has created ideal conditions for predatory behaviour, where deceptive accounts and grooming are no longer rare incidents but systemic risks enabled by online anonymity.

The harm, nevertheless, does not always come from strangers. Social media has become a breeding ground for relentless, public cyberbullying that follows children home and infiltrates what should be safe spaces.

At the same time, the unrestrained spread of misinformation is distorting young people’s understanding of the world.

Viral hoaxes, conspiracy content and manipulative propaganda do not merely clutter their feeds; they shape beliefs, attitudes and behaviour.

Toll on mental health

Perhaps the most insidious consequence is the silent toll on mental health. Teenagers now navigate a digital hall of mirrors, saturated with curated images and filtered perfection that breed insecurity and body image issues.

Compounding this is the architecture of the platforms themselves. Their addictive design, with infinite scroll, notification badges and algorithmic nudges, is engineered to capture attention relentlessly.

As a result, young users experience sleep disruptions, shortened attention spans and falling academic performance. Many adolescents describe the resulting mental fog as “brain rot”, a term that should alarm us all.

Social media is also reshaping the development of identity. Rather than exploring who they are, young people increasingly tie their self-worth to likes, comments and follower counts.

This performative existence diminishes authentic interaction and heightens social isolation, even as they remain constantly connected. The risks extend further into their financial and professional futures.

Scams and phishing schemes target inexperienced users, while impulsive posts can leave permanent marks on digital footprints that harm future opportunities. A moment of poor judgment online can now follow a young person for decades.

The algorithm

At the centre of this growing crisis lies the algorithm. Designed to maximise engagement, these systems often elevate sensational, extreme or harmful content. In effect, we are entrusting our children to machines optimised not for well-being but for attention extraction.

Compounding the danger is the troubling reality that many platforms appear far more committed to growth and profit than to genuinely protecting minors from online threats.

The result is exposure to radicalising material or adult content long before young people are developmentally ready to handle it.

Growing frustration with these dangers has sparked a global reassessment of how young people should interact with social media.

Australia’s effort to bar users under 16 and similar proposals in the United States signal a shift toward prohibition rather than trust in self-regulation.

The debate is evolving beyond parental controls and safety features. Increasingly, policymakers are asking whether the platforms themselves are simply too dangerous for developing minds.

Is social media the tobacco of the 21st century, a product whose risks to minors cannot be mitigated by warnings alone? Or can genuine reform, from algorithmic transparency to child-safe design, chart a safer middle path?

Urgent action necessary

What is clear is that action is urgently needed. Parents, educators and lawmakers cannot afford to wait.

Whether the solution lies in age restrictions, stricter oversight or a complete reimagining of platform architecture, we must intervene now.

If we fail to act, we leave the next generation to navigate a digital minefield with no guidance and no protection.

-- BERNAMA

Prof Dr Selvakumar Manickam is the Director of the Cybersecurity Research Centre (CYRES) at Universiti Sains Malaysia.