Is smartphone destroying a generation?

Smartphones are destroying our young generation – nowadays a very common observation from parents and senior citizens in our country. There is a common belief among most of us that youths use the smartphone to browse the internet or play games for entertainment only, which hamper their study.

However, do they really use a smartphone only for such kind of activities?

Recent research titled "What Makes You a Smart User of Smartphone" by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) conducted among 44 youths shows the youths do not use smartphones only for entertainment. 

They use it creatively and for many productive works too. Some case studies found by the research might make the parents wonder. 

For example, Naymur Rahman Shuvo, a 10th-grade student at Khilgaon High School at the capital did not have a smartphone of his own. One day, he was awarded the 1st prize in a photo exhibition. Everyone got surprised by how a boy could win a photo contest when he did not have a camera or a smartphone.

Later it was revealed Shuvo had secretly learned photography using his father's smartphone and had submitted the photos online.

He also maintains a connection with many school friends through social media for photography. They share their photos with each other, talks about how to make an improvement. In the journey of photography, her mother supported him a lot. 

"This kind support and parenting is very much important", said the researcher Golam Nabi Mozumder while presenting his research paper at a city hotel on Monday.

"Shuvo is not alone, we have found many other youths who use smartphone creatively, and for learning many productive things and even class lessons," he added.

"Top grade is not always a must. Creative skills and smart parenting are a must. Parents have a lot to learn from their children," he further said. 

The research found that youths watch tutorial videos about music instruments, animations, English language, and Mathematics on YouTube when he or she has not under any supervision. 

The research shows the favourite activities of youths include watching videos on YouTube, browsing social media and networking, gaming, listening to music, learning graphic design and photography, collecting study materials and reading newspaper using the smartphone. 

However, the research also said many deviant activities are done by youths. 

Some of them are found to have an interest in hacking Facebook accounts, creating fake accounts, and tendency to watch adult or age-inappropriate contents.

They have a common tendency to unfriend parents and relatives, and because of that parents cannot help them if they have any problem such as online harassment.

One of the school students said, "A friend of mine sent me a picture of yaba on Messenger and wrote if I eat that pill the night before the exam I will be able to be awake, get energy for studying, and I will do well in the exam." 

Thus, the research said sometimes it might be dangerous for immature youths to use smartphone unsupervised, but proper parenting and supervision can solve those problems.