HUMANS are frail and susceptible to the allure of entertainment.
Our minds crave stimulation; distractions provide effortless mental fodder.
This resonates most strongly with our nation’s social media trends.
Entertainment channels draw massive viewership.
But this enjoyment has a downside: it slows human progress because people are hooked on so-called entertainment channels.
Family vloggers lead the trend, drawing millions of followers with their vapid content.
Family vloggers share their daily family lives with their audience.
Family vlogging started becoming popular in America around 2008.
To gain YouTube followers, American parents shared their children’s life stories.
However, this led to consequences such as reports of child abuse and a decline in children’s mental health due to family vlogs.
The use of family vlogs to get immediate attention on social media has recently increased in Pakistan.
Many influencers cultivate instant followings by broadcasting their family’s lives, though some channels produce genuinely entertaining content.
Today’s influencers post content that doesn’t help people in improving their life, yet keeps them hooked.
The national mindset is reflected in this trend; the number of followers of social media influencers producing compromised content indicates the percentage of people living distracted lives.
Family vlogs undermine our culture’s values too.
In our culture, women’s dignity and family privacy are paramount.
This is culturally significant as it safeguards women from ill-will and commands respect for them.
In our culture, family issues are considered private, and no one is encouraged to meddle in them.
Conversely, family vlogs, enthusiastically produced by influencers, are popular with viewers.
Entertaining vlogs with moral lessons or humor are rare.
The majority use family shows to draw in audiences.
Lots of vloggers create addictive, pointless vlogs that sidetrack young people from their goals.
Yes, many see these influential vlogs as a career direction.
Intervention in such matters is necessary because our youth needs clear direction, not distractions.
It’s a cruel joke to squander young people’s valuable time with pointless videos and vlogs.
To make social media influencers true national influencers, certain measures need to be implemented.
This isn’t about limiting personal freedom, but if influencers’ content undermines cultural identity and national growth, then protecting the nation is true national service.
Guidelines and scrutiny are necessary for social media influencers and their content.
The government should create a body to register social media influencers.
This registration process should make social media influencers specify their content expertise.
This case requires a ban on family vlogs.
We must stop this harmful trend from eroding our youth’s intellectual, moral, and ethical foundations.
Protecting our families and the sanctity of family life is also critical for upholding our cultural values.
Additionally, social media registration procedures for influencers should be determined by a cross-section of intellectuals.
Social media platforms need to incorporate educational content, clearly identifying subjects and areas of specialization.
In addition, creating entertaining content necessitates a complete guide to protecting our cultural, religious, and political heritage.
Influencers on social media platforms bear a responsibility to ensure they don’t endorse trends detrimental to the education of young people.
Social media influencers must meet a minimum educational requirement, and a yearly system should be created to monitor their actions for violations.
This isn’t about limiting influencers’ autonomy or restricting their freedom; it’s about aligning their content with national progress and prosperity.
Influencers need to convey the value of discipline in daily life.
Social media videos should uphold ethical standards.
Social media content ought to facilitate skill development and refinement.
Community intellectual growth should be the content’s focus.
Social media should be used to instill the values of democracy and sustainable growth.
A lot of today’s social media influencers make videos without these values.
The question is whether they serve our national interests.
Is the content shared by many social media influencers unifying the nation?
Does the content promote the pursuit of personal excellence via dedication, discipline, and self-belief?
Can we see our ancestors’ history and values in this content?
No, family vloggers’ content, in particular, is energy-sapping and time-wasting for followers, filled with useless content.
Additionally, isn’t it time to chart a clear course for national growth and progress?
Revamping social media will benefit society.
A more progressive society could emerge if social media influencers create content that genuinely drives national change.
This case does not target current influences.
They belong to us.
This case addresses the decline of our social values, the loss of time for our youth, and the ongoing national decline.
A person’s youth profoundly impacts their adult life.
To create a transformative global force, we must cultivate excellence and strong character in our youth.
We need to seriously realign social media policies.
Aligning social media with national interests and social values will make a real impact.
This will revolutionize how young people view their current lives and envision their futures.
Young people need role models with strong intellects, achievable only through strict social media content guidelines.
The rapid expansion of social media, especially family vlogs and influencer content, may harm the intellectual growth of young people.
Many social media users can’t assess whether family vlogs help or harm them.
Society must actively monitor these vlogging trends to shield future generations from their harmful influence.
We must raise awareness and prioritize content that upholds our values and benefits everyone—it’s our national duty.
The trend of vlogs needs to be managed to guide our younger generation towards a better future.
—The writer is an educationist and a Commoner from 44th Common, based in Sargodha. (waqarhassancsp@gmail.com)
