Erosion Of Digital Ethics: Great Responsibility Rests On Parents To Mointor Children's Online Experiences

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Jul, 2025) In the narrow lanes of Peshawar’s old city, 16-year-old Marjan Khan scrolls endlessly through TikTok videos, unaware that the device in his hand is not just a source of entertainment rather it's shaping his worldview, values, and future.

Unaware of adverse effects of social media, Marjan at a juice shop at Qissa Khwani scrolls over videos on TikTok on mobile phone while his father was busy in a telephonic conversation.

"My father has purchased mobile for me as a gift when I passed metric examination," said Marjan who was unaware of mango juice was being warmed on table.

Marjan says he was in close touch with his friends besides watching movies and videos on TikTok and other social media platforms to spend his time.

Like Marjan , millions of young Pakistanis are navigating a digital world with little guidance or boundaries by their parents and teachers.

Social media, once hailed as a technological marvel for global connection and democratized voices, has morphed into a double-edged sword, threatening the ethical foundation of society.

With over 71.9 million social media users in Pakistan which is a staggering 29.5% of the population, the transformation has been swift and profound.

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and X (formerly Twitter) have become omnipresent in daily life. But experts warned that this digital boom comes at a steep moral cost.

“Morality refers to principles that define right and wrong,” says Dr. Jamil Khan, Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Peshawar. “But the online world, lacking face-to-face accountability, has created a moral vacuum.” he said, adding great responsibility rests on shoulders of parents to properly looksfter their children while operating mobile phones.

He said videos once considered taboo, laced with obscenity, vulgarity, or misinformation, has now rack up millions of views, sometimes shared by schoolchildren and even middle-aged parents. From dance trends to conspiracy theories, content is consumed rapidly, often without scrutiny.

He said the rapid growth of TikTok (54.38 million users) and YouTube (71.7 million users) has made short-form content a powerful influencer. Yet, beneath the humor and trends lies a growing problem: moral boundaries are blurred, and for many youth, the line between right and wrong no longer exists in the digital space.

“Anonymity online gives people a false sense of freedom,” Dr. Jamil said and added, “they act without fear of real-world consequences, often ignoring the impact on others.”

For parents like Shaheen Bibi, a mother of four in Nowshera, the challenge is real and personal. “My teenage daughter spends hours on Instagram. I worry about the content she watches, the messages she gets, and the things she starts to believe.

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The generation gap has never felt wider. Many parents, unfamiliar with digital platforms, feel powerless to guide or monitor their children’s online experiences.

Educationist and former Director of Education, Professor Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, believes the battle must start in schools.

“We must integrate digital ethics and media literacy into our curriculum,” he insists. “Teaching students how to engage responsibly online is as important as any subject today.”

Dr. Ibrahim also stresses the need for a collective societal effort of parents, teachers, policymakers, and social media companies to create a culture of digital responsibility.

Recognizing the urgency, the Federal government recently amended the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2025, introducing stricter penalties for those spreading fake news or uploading immoral content.

Ikhtiar Wali, Adviser to the Prime Minister for KP's Information, says the law is designed to strike a balance. He said the PECA law is not curbing freedom of expression.

He explained that the law was meant to target the spread of harmful contents and videos that degrade our values, ethics or misinformation that misleads society.”

The law introduces the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA), a Social Media Complaints Council, and a Social Media Tribunal, creating a framework for oversight.

A National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) will also be established to replace the FIA’s cyber wing, tasked with investigating online offenses.

Those found guilty could face up to three years in prison and fines of up to Rs 2 million.

While legal reforms mark a step forward, experts warned that legislation alone isn’t enough and society must foster a new culture of digital empathy and accountability.

“Social media companies must play their part by filtering harmful content,” Dr. Ibrahim reiterated. “But most importantly, every citizen, especially adults, must set an example for the younger generation.”

He said parents role was equally important in education of their children against negative effects of social media onslaught.

Despite the bleak outlook, there’s hope. The Govt organizations and NGOs are launching digital literacy campaigns, schools in major cities are piloting courses on ethical online behavior, and civil society is stepping up.

But for families like Shaheen’s, the real battle is at home i.e in conversations, role modeling, and vigilance.

“We can’t stop technology,” she says, “but we can teach our children how to use it wisely.”

In this age of unprecedented connectivity, the challenge is not just technical rather it’s moral. And as Pakistan grapples with the consequences of unchecked digital influence, one question looms large that can we protect our values in a borderless world?