Scroll, like, share, and spread. 

These are the most common activities that one engages in today’s technology. In the present world, most of the nation’s youth are more likely to be attached to social media, saying, “It helps us connect.” However, how can we truly connect if we will just spend our entire time being couch potatoes, endlessly scrolling and liking posts from friends of ours?

Fast forward, now our feed has gotten full, with unstoppable notifications paired with the ceaseless buzz sound in every message. Which, as I have noticed, could make a person entirely lonelier or reclusive. Why? Because they lack physical interactions, they are now much too focused on using the digital world as a distraction.

For example, even though some are in family gatherings, you could still see them in one corner using their phones and not socializing. If they were to choose between physical activities or online activities, they would espouse online activities, probably saying it was less of a hassle than the physical activities that make them feel exhausted. 

There are instances in which teens would feel sick, and as a result, their parents would say, “Kaka-cellphone mo ‘yan.” Which I find somehow true. Personally, I think this might be because people who spend a lot of time sitting and scrolling are missing out on the positive effects of physical activity and fitness.

Another thing I’ve observed, the youth nowadays are using “depression” or “anxiety” for clout. Recording themselves and posting it on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, or X which leads them into thinking that attention equals emotional concern that double tap that most of us assume “care” and “love”.

According to the Global Digital Report 2025, 11.6 million from the age group of 10 to 14 years old are social media users. This means that a strongly embedded "always-online" culture is seen in the youth, accentuated by Filipinos’ well-known warmth and gregarious mindset. I do think it’s inadvisable for their health, especially for their age. Although presently, it is uplifting to see an age group who are now more aware of the current issue occurring in the online world compared to the previous generations. I see everyone not just as big internet users, but social media enthusiasts who keep tabs on every issue that happens in the online world.

Yes, social media does help us to make new friends, talk to someone who is far away, or even stay updated on certain issues. But platforms can also be breeding grounds for false information, as well as for spreading fake news. As far as I’ve seen, I know that other people will share and let fake news spread without even scrutinizing its sources to check if it’s true. 

Without those platforms, one can barely live, because it has now become a big part of our lives: checking notifications, using them for entertainment, and texting one another. But one should always be acquainted with the consequences of their actions towards online media. Just like they say, “think before you click.”

In my viewpoint, social media is just like a filter; online, we show a different and unusual side, but when the filter is obliterated, this is where our true selves are being shown off. Try to ask yourselves: “Am I really connected with them? Or do they only know the filtered me?”