From Digital Divide to Digital Wellness: Lessons from Multimedia Youth Engagement Strategies in India, Kenya and the US

Summary

Young people love using their smartphones. But increasingly, smartphones are using the young. In recent years, Smartphone Addiction has emerged as a threat to mental health in developed countries, especially for the youth. SBCC initiatives of the developing world must therefore include some aspect of Digital Wellness training. The parallels are striking. The average American spends 4 hours staring at these screens, with 60% of their youth diagnosing themselves as addicted. Several studies on their overuse from both OECD and BRICS nations demonstrate their harmful effects. These include reduced self-esteem via exposure to social media, shrinking attention spans, information overload, disconnection from real-life interactions and depression. Moreover, our Fullbright-funded research at the University of Chicago uncovered how reliance on mobile devices for internet access is strongly correlated with socioeconomic disadvantage in the United States. This becomes critical for contexts of Digital Divide where financial, health and educational services often reach the underprivileged only through online channels. This session explores one such instance of understanding youth educational outreach strategies in Kenya and adapting them to a virtual alumni engagement project in India. Like the Global North's 'Digital Detox' initiatives, Indian students were trained on using phones and social media at preset intervals and within time limits so as to prevent addiction to constant connectivity. If SBCC carefully includes comparable Digital Wellness components within its programming, youth can benefit from full multimedia engagement without the entanglement. We may then fully use smartphones for good, without smartphones using the youth.

Background/Objectives

1) To challenge the dominant paradigm that internet access will automatically facilitate education. Examples from research the US, India and Kenya will highlight its usage for leisure purposes. 2) To introduce the phenomenon of Smartphone Addiction and elaborate on its potential negative impacts on youth. The addictive features of entertainment and social media platforms will be juxtaposed with the beneficial applications of edutainment in SBCC practice. 3) To kickstart a discussion on how Digital Wellness initiatives can be adapted to the cultures in developing countries so that youth can make more conscious use of their newfound internet connectivity

Description Of The Big Idea/experience/innovation And Its Importance To The SBCC Field:

The recent rise in internet connectivity in developing countries- especially with smartphones- has made SBCC outreach so much easier. The question is no longer how, but how best to reach disadvantaged populations. Is it via offline channels like SMS, or through new online portals such as Facebook, Whatsapp, Youtube, etc? I faced similar questions while trying to stay connected with India's youth after job placements and emulating Kenya's Well Told Story as they harnessed radio, print and digital channels simultaneously. The answer seemed to be a combination of both. With the SBCC domain's increasing reliance on active online communities, edutainment videos and dramas, the more screen-time, the merrier. However, when I moved to the University of Chicago, my teammates' research revealed the tremendous harm from Smartphone Addiction for youth mental health in the US and its first appearances in India, China and South Africa. Many features of video streaming and social networking sites are engineered using behavioral science to ensure extended usage. Leveraging the same principles, SBCC needs to prioritize Digital Wellness initiatives for more scheduled and conscious internet usage. These could include apps for screen-time tracking, blocking websites or promoting mindfulness in a world of information overload.

Discussion/Implications For The Field

Programs aimed at building multimedia channels of youth engagement must now add a component of tech mindfulness. A new set of ethics will be needed to ensure that videos and notifications only arrive at scheduled times. In domains allowing for extended interaction with beneficiaries (like education) we can aim to build such habits through scheduled repetition. Programs that leverage digital storytelling- whether through graphics, movies or music- can house their content on specially designated platforms. Alternatively, they can use commercial platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp, etc, but help users understand their addictive features and instead commit to more conscious, controlled use.

Abstract submitted by:

Abhishek Pandit 

Laurence Warner - The University of Chicago