
The digital conflict and empowering awareness
Digital influence comes from many sources and manifests negatively both individually and collectively. A recent international study published on The Australian website found a link between playing video games, especially those featuring 'loot boxes', and increased risks of gambling as well as related mental health issues. Researchers noted that purchasing these loot boxes can trigger anxiety, stress, depression, and impulsivity, factors common to other behavioural addictions, warning that children involved in buying them may later be prone to gambling problems. Similarly, a 2023 report by CyberSafeKids revealed that 65 per cent of Irish children aged 8 to 12 experienced external contact from strangers online, highlighting a lack of awareness and parental supervision regarding online safety. This deficiency raises the likelihood of children encountering harmful content or exploitation by dangerous groups.
Digital platforms and video games have also become easily exploitable tools for terrorist and criminal organisations to recruit and indoctrinate young minds. These groups use virtual spaces to interact with youth, influencing their ideas and behaviours through targeted content or direct interactions, thus facilitating the recruitment of minors. Such phenomena require both societal awareness and effective tools to monitor and combat them.
Furthermore, many young people, often referred to as the digital generation, rely on platforms like TikTok and YouTube as primary sources of information. This reliance exposes them to media misinformation and erroneous intellectual guidance. In this context, Jean Baudrillard's notion of 'virtual reality' becomes apparent, as the boundaries between truth and illusion blur, leaving youth vulnerable to both intentional and unintentional manipulation.
Smart algorithms on these platforms can promote extremist content; a study by Egypt's Suez Canal University revealed that certain games and digital platforms broadcast ideas conflicting with societal and religious values. Additionally, research reported by Saudi's Al-Mowaten electronic newspaper found that about 30 per cent of children playing online games experience bullying, which increases social isolation and anxiety, weakening social bonds and making individuals more susceptible to external influences, including recruitment by criminal groups.
Beyond the risks associated with video games, violent films or those depicting acts of terrorism can also instil unethical behaviours in young minds. A study published in PubMed found that excessive exposure to violent content correlates with higher rates of depression and aggressive behaviour among teenagers. Moreover, some films are indirectly used by extremist and criminal groups by portraying 'heroic' characters from their ranks to sway viewers ideologically, stimulate emotions, and redirect their thinking. Similar tactics are seen in some songs, music or religious-themed chants that hide subliminal psychological messages promoting non-religious ideologies.
Many reports and studies indicate that terrorist groups recruit youth online, often using AI techniques to target those most addicted to digital platforms. In this context, the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci's ideas on 'cultural hegemony' intersect with the digital reality: the struggle to control collective consciousness is no longer limited to traditional tools but extends into virtual space, where narratives and beliefs are carefully crafted by specialised groups capable of infiltrating societies.
Given this frightening scenario, it is imperative to urgently activate robust measures to confront these challenges. This starts with effective digital education, especially within families and schools, through awareness, supervision, and curricula designed to develop digital literacy and necessary defences. There is also a need to enforce digital ethics, redefining digital responsibility and its risks. Drawing on Immanuel Kant's philosophy, which emphasises duty over self-interest, governments, educational institutions, and families must work together to enhance digital awareness. Measures include restricting harmful content using AI algorithms, promoting critical education that trains youth to analyse digital content, and encouraging balanced digital usage with regulated screen time alongside cultural, social and sports programmes.
Only through a threefold alliance, governments enacting strict regulations on harmful digital practices, educational institutions incorporating critical digital literacy in curricula and families raising awareness and monitoring digital activities, can the digital realm be transformed from an ideological battleground into a positive space that enriches minds and benefits both individuals and society.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Observer
5 days ago
- Observer
Matcha: the Japanese tea taking over the world
Matcha is the new drink of choice at hip cafes worldwide, but Japanese producers are struggling to keep up with soaring demand for the powdered green tea. Here's what you need to know about the drink beloved of weekend treat-seekers and "wellness" influencers: Matcha: the Japanese tea taking over the world - What is matcha? - The word matcha means "ground tea" in Japanese and comes in the form of a vivid green powder that is whisked with hot water and can be added to milk to make a matcha latte. Green tea was introduced to Japan from China in the early ninth century, and was first used for medicinal purposes. Matcha came much later, in 16th century Kyoto -- part of the tea ceremony tradition developed by tea master Sen no Rikyu. Today, there are different grades of matcha quality, from "ceremonial" to "culinary" types used in baking. Matcha: the Japanese tea taking over the world - How is it produced? - Matcha is made from leaves called "tencha", which are grown in the shade in the final weeks before their harvest to concentrate the flavour, colour and nutrients. This "requires the construction of a complex structure with poles and a roof to filter the light", explained Masahiro Okutomi, a tea producer in Sayama, northwest of Tokyo. Tencha leaves, rich in chlorophyll and L-theanine, a compound known for its relaxing effects, are hand-picked and deveined, then steamed, dried and ground between two stone mills to produce an ultra-fine powder. It can take up to an hour to produce just 40 grams (1.4 ounces) of matcha -- making the powder on average twice as expensive to produce as standard green tea leaves. Matcha: the Japanese tea taking over the world - What are its benefits? - Many drink matcha for its rich grass-like taste, but others are drawn to the drink's nutritional properties. It is rich in antioxidants, and can aid concentration because of its caffeine content: one cup contains on average 48 milligrams, slightly less than a drip coffee but nearly twice as much as a standardly brewed green tea. "Matcha is often seen as being good for your health," said Shigehito Nishikida, manager of Tokyo tea shop Jugetsudo. "But people are also attracted to the Japanese culture around tea: the ritual, the time taken, the aesthetics," he said. Matcha: the Japanese tea taking over the world - Why is it so popular? - Japan produced 4,176 tonnes of matcha in 2023 -- a huge increase from the 1,430 tonnes in 2012. More than half of the powder is exported, according to the agriculture ministry, mostly to the United States, Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. Millions of videos on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube demonstrate how to make photogenic matcha drinks or choose a traditional "chasen" bamboo whisk. Matcha: the Japanese tea taking over the world "I feel like Gen Z really drove this enthusiasm for matcha, and they heavily relied on social media to do so," Stevie Youssef, a 31-year-old marketing professional, told AFP at a matcha bar in Los Angeles. Matcha can also be used in cooking, extending its appeal to others aside from tea lovers. "Some customers simply enjoy drinking it, others like preparing it themselves. And of course, many buy it as a gift -- Japanese matcha is always appreciated," said Jugetsudo's Nishikida. —AFP


Observer
19-06-2025
- Observer
Grief in filters: The digital mask of emotion
Gen Z is known for introducing many new concepts — some are worth the trend, others not so much. Over the past few years, Gen Z has started to treat sadness as an aesthetic, something to play around with instead of confronting it as a real emotion. Whether it's losing someone or going through a traumatic event, each emotion carries weight — and turning it into a trend makes those feelings harder to understand. Instead of dealing with emotions directly, many young people turn to various coping mechanisms. Some are healthy, but others raise concerns. From ironic memes to oversharing on social media, these habits have become common ways to process pain. Studies suggest that around 45 per cent of youth depend on harmful coping strategies. One of the most common is binge-watching series, which often leads to severe procrastination and distraction from studies or activities they used to enjoy. Another example is oversharing with strangers or online friends when they feel no one else understands — this could lead to leaks of personal information or even emotional harm. Gen Z also uses dark humour to mask pain, often without realising that others going through the same thing might not find it funny. The most serious and damaging of all these habits is emotional numbing — thinking that suppressing emotions will stop the pain. But this only leads to endless scrolling, gaming, and surface-level interactions. On the other hand, a portion of Gen Z is turning to healthier methods. Meditation helps calm the mind, journaling allows for emotional release, and reading gives a chance to relate to characters and better understand one's own feelings. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok often glorify these unhealthy habits. Reels, posts, and trauma-dump stories can make sadness look beautiful — and when pain becomes a trend, it becomes hard to tell who genuinely needs help and who's following the aesthetic. These habits can seriously affect mental health. Many experience anxiety, stress, or even depression without realizing what's really causing it. To change this, we need to shift towards better strategies — like opening up to someone we trust, doing creative or active things like art or sports, and seeing therapy as a healthy, not shameful, option. In conclusion, it's time to stop pretending everything is fine or turning pain into a joke. Sadness is real, and everyone experiences it. The difference lies in how we cope — and it's up to us to turn aesthetic into awareness.


Observer
01-06-2025
- Observer
How social media can 'trigger' eating disorders in young people
Social media can push vulnerable young people towards developing eating disorders by glorifying thinness and promoting fake, dangerous advice about diet and nutrition, experts warn. Young women and girls are much more likely to suffer from illnesses such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder, though rates among men have been increasing. Research has shown the percentage of people worldwide who have had some kind of eating disorder during their lives rose from 3.5 percent in 2000 to 7.8 percent in 2018, a timeframe that captures the rise of social media. For the professionals trying to help teenagers recover from these disorders, misinformation from influencers on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram is a huge problem. "We no longer treat an eating disorder without also addressing social media use," French dietitian and nutritionist Carole Copti told AFP. "It has become a trigger, definitely an accelerator and an obstacle to recovery," she added. The causes of eating disorders are complex, with psychological, genetic, environmental and social factors all having the potential to make someone more susceptible. Social media "is not the cause but the straw that may break the camel's back," said Nathalie Godart, a psychiatrist for children and adolescents at the Student Health Foundation of France. By promoting thinness, strictly controlled diets and relentless exercise, social media weakens already vulnerable people and "amplifies the threat" to their health, she told AFP. She condemned videos showing young girls with anorexia exposing their malnourished bodies -- or others with bulimia demonstrating their "purges". "Taking laxatives or vomiting are presented as a perfectly legitimate way to lose weight, when actually they increase the risk of cardiac arrest," Buigues said. Eating disorders can damage the heart, cause infertility and other health problems, and have been linked to suicidal behaviour. Anorexia has the highest rate of death of any psychiatric disease, research has found. Eating disorders are also the second leading cause of premature death among 15- to 24-year-olds in France, according to the country's health insurance agency. Social media creates a "vicious cycle," Copti said. "People suffering from eating disorders often have low self-esteem. But by exposing their thinness from having anorexia on social media, they gain followers, views, likes... and this will perpetuate their problems and prolong their denial," she added. This can especially be the case when the content earns money. Buigues spoke of a young woman who regularly records herself throwing up live on TikTok and who had "explained that she was paid by the platform and uses that money to buy groceries". Social media also makes recovering from eating disorders "more difficult, more complicated and take longer", Copti said. This is partly because young people tend to believe the misleading or fake diet advice that proliferates online. Copti said consultations with her patients can feel like she is facing a trial. "I have to constantly justify myself and fight to make them understand that no, it is not possible to have a healthy diet eating only 1,000 calories -- that is half what they need -- or that no, it is not normal to skip meals," she said. "The patients are completely indoctrinated -- and my 45-minute weekly consultation is no match for spending hours every day on TikTok," she added. Godart warned about the rise of people posing as "pseudo-coaches", sharing incorrect, "absurd" and potentially illegal nutrition advice. "These influencers carry far more weight than institutions. We're constantly struggling to get simple messages across about nutrition," she said, pointing out that there are lifelines available for those in need. Buigues takes it upon herself to regularly report problematic content on Instagram, but said it "serves no purpose". "The content remains online and the accounts are rarely suspended -- it's very tiring," she said. The nurse has even advised her patients to delete their social media accounts, particularly TikTok. "It may seem radical but until young people are better informed, the app is too dangerous," she said.