OPINION | Youth must campaign for secure data privacy, transparent Ts & Cs in today's digital world

Type, like, swipe, repeat. Such simple motions have a profound impact on people's lives. We use social media for everything nowadays; it has become increasingly difficult to envision a world without it. But what if it is now being wielded as a tool to harm our youth?

SA is no stranger to the concept of interconnectedness, so it's no surprise that our youth have eagerly immersed themselves in these social media platforms, using them to connect with their peers both at home and around the globe.

This globalised youth can access information at an unprecedented pace and even construct online personas or personal brands to engage with others or earn an income. With limited physical social spaces and soaring youth unemployment rates (45.5%), it is no wonder that social media platforms serve as the easiest escape, an alternate non-reality. 

Yet, with so many pros come exceedingly serious cons. From the addiction to online gratification and misinformation due to the influx of fake news, to cyberbullying now being coined as referential humour, and the most alarming issue of data privacy insecurity. T's and C's, cookies?

The blind acceptance of these terms leads to the indiscriminate and often unknowing handing over of rights. It is important to remember that social media never forgets and that each post carries its consequences, whether through likes, shares, money, or missed opportunities resulting from uncensored behaviour. 

Moreover, in a country with an exceedingly high rate of gender-based violence and femicide: where roughly 33.1% of women aged 18 and older have experienced physical violence and where both men and women do not feel safe simply walking the streets of their towns.

It is concerning that social media’s encouragement of sharing detailed private information could potentially put more young people at risk of not only online harm but also physical harm. This risk can be attributed to simple examples such as the geo-tagging of live posts or something as basic as filming a daily vlog or offering a home tour. 

Additionally, while these social media platforms have significantly advanced online citizen journalism, community building, income generation, or simply providing entertainment (all positive attributes), we cannot ignore the increasing vulnerabilities that social media poses to the youth.

Rather than vilifying these platforms, young people should engage in conversation and advocacy for more transparent terms and more secure privacy systems in this new digital era. 

• Hadebe is a communications strategist