Social Media Safety and Well-being

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 strongly emphasizes the integration of cyber safety education into school curriculums, recognizing its critical role in equipping students with the digital literacy skills needed for safe and responsible internet use. In the age of digital connectivity, social media has become an integral part of everyday life, offering platforms for communication, collaboration, and self-expression. However, with the growing presence of online interactions, there is an increasing risk to the safety and well-being of users, particularly children and young adults. Social media platforms can expose individuals to privacy breaches, cyberbullying, identity theft, and harmful content. It is crucial to be aware of the risks and take preventive measures, such as managing privacy settings, limiting the sharing of personal information, and ensuring that online interactions are respectful and secure. Parents, educators, and guardians must play an active role in guiding children to safely navigate the digital world, promoting responsible use of these platforms.

In addition to safety, maintaining mental and emotional well-being while using social media is equally important. Constant exposure to curated content can lead to unhealthy comparisons, social anxiety, and even depression, particularly among young users. It's essential to foster a balanced approach to social media usage, encouraging regular breaks, promoting positive and uplifting content, and being mindful of one's mental health. Educating users on how to recognize and report cyberbullying, misinformation, and harmful online behavior can further enhance social media safety. By creating a supportive digital environment, individuals can experience the benefits of social media while safeguarding their mental health and privacy.

To support this, CIET-NCERT in collaboration with Cyber Peace Foundation (CPF) has organized a series of training sessions on 'Cyber Safety and Security' at the beginning of each month to raise awareness among various stakeholders about cyber safety and security. For the month of October, 2024 it is proposed to conduct a 5 hours online training on “Social Media Safety and Well-being” from 30 September - 4 October, 2024 in English version and 7 - 11 October, 2024 in Hindi version from 4.00 pm - 5.00 pm. The online training will be live on NCERT YouTube Channel- https://www.youtube.com/c/NCERTOFFICIAL and also be simulcast through PMeVidya DTH TV Channels numbered #6-12 and Jio TV mobile app.

Objectives:

After completion of the training series, the learner will be able to:

• Understand the role, benefits, and risks of social media across different age groups.
• Recognize how social media impacts youth and the risks of popular platforms.
• Identify and respond to common and emerging social media threats.
• Develop media literacy skills for responsible and ethical digital use.
• Manage social media's effects on mental health and screen time.
• Set up support systems for victims of social media-related issues.

Who Can Participate?

Students, Teachers, Teacher Educators, Parents, Administrators and all those who are interested.