New forms of media not quite so social

Another day, another warning over the impact of social media use on young people.

Many youngsters are apparently becoming anxious they are “missing out” as they spend their days constantly checking what their friends and peers are doing.

Teacher Raymond Chambers is not the first to warn over the impact of excessive social media use, yet there remain precious few answers.

As any parent these days will know, the battle to lure a son or daughter away from iPads, phones or computers is one not easily won.

Mr Chambers fears the art of communication is being lost. Of course young people would counter that communication these days merely takes different forms. Perhaps chatting to one another on virtual forums through the use of emojis is every bit as valid as the deep and meaningful face-to-face conversations of our youth.

What appears to cripple many young people, however, is the fear of missing out.

Presumably the risk of missing some “vital” piece of gossip is just too great and so they remain almost surgically attached to their electronic devices. It is hard not to have some sympathy – nobody wants to be the only person not to know some interesting piece of news.

The great irony, of course, is that by remaining plugged in all hours of the day and night, young people are missing the opportunity to live life for themselves.