The Archbishop of Cape Coast, Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, has expressed concern over the adverse effects of social media on the productivity of the youth, particularly TikTok.
He pointed out that social media platforms significantly distract young individuals, leading them to spend considerable time on unproductive discussions.
During his speech at the Cape Coast Archdiocesan Youth Rally of the Roman Catholic Church held in Assin Fosu, in the Central Region, the Archbishop urged the youth to use social media constructively.
He encouraged them to acquire new skills and research topics to enhance their lives, rather than getting caught up in ephemeral online trends.
“Social media, especially TikTok, has rendered most youth idle, as they devote much time there instead of using the time productively. Use your social media profitably; use it to learn new skills and search for valuable information instead of following unnecessary trends online,” Archbishop Palmer-Buckle advised, according to graphic.com.gh.
At the same gathering, Deputy Minister of Education and MP for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, also encouraged the youth to follow paths that will enrich their lives and positively impact society.
“Create your opportunities and make them lucrative for others to benefit from. No man is talentless,” the minister emphasized.
The ongoing debate regarding the impact of social media on individuals persists, with various stakeholders advocating for strategies to counteract its negative effects.
In related news, TikTok has become a significant force in the realm of short-form video, boasting a user base of 170 million in the US.
Accordingly, President Joe Biden enacted a new law that puts the future of TikTok, a popular video-streaming application, under threat in the United States.
The law mandates that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, must divest its interest in the app within one year or face a ban. This legislation represents the most significant action taken by the US in its ongoing technology dispute with China.
Despite the potential implications for TikTok, immediate disruptions to the app’s operations are unlikely. Legal challenges and logistical difficulties in selling the app are expected to delay any immediate effects. The law was incorporated into a broader bill that also includes foreign aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan.
ByteDance, a Chinese tech giant, acquired the then-popular karaoke app Musical.ly in 2017 and relaunched it as TikTok. Since its rebranding, the app has been scrutinized by U.S. national security officials over concerns of potential influence by the Chinese government.
