Young people’s engagement with social media is definitely problematic, and became a hot topic last week as Australia moved to ban young people under 16 from social media, YouTube included.
The Pat Kenny Show (Newstalk, Wednesday) explored the issue, but with a loaded start – reference was made to extreme content online, instancing “negative commentary on immigration” and “views that society should reverse to traditional gender roles”. Extremist? Even some government spokespersons have some issues with immigration at the moment. The item was in the context of a new survey from the Ombudsman for Children’s Office, and various statistics were given referencing children coming across negative comments on immigration issues, gay, lesbian and transgender people, travellers and Roma, but curiously there was no mention of them coming across negativity towards religion or people identifying as religious. Dr Colman Noctor, a child and adolescent psychotherapist, had interesting things to say on the matter. A lot of the extreme content is due, he said, to the social media companies finding that ‘raging is engaging’, so we get served up more content that is extreme rather than what is moderate, thanks to ‘reckless and dangerous’ algorithms. He said teens find it hard to challenge negative attitudes in their peers as they could become targets of slagging. I was struck by his worrying diagnosis: “we live in a world where what’s popular is more influential that what is true”.
There was some hope in the study’s finding that most parents and guardians were the biggest influence in the children’s lives, and that children said peer group and family values hold against the online influences. Towards the end a texter, a man who had been involved in the protective services with the Gardai, identified a “lack of engagement and understanding” among parents as their children with smartphones had ease of access to hardcore porn. He spoke of “mind boggling” damage to children, from material of “varying degrees of depravity” at “exceptionally early ages”. He reckoned we’d look back on this neglect of our kids with shame, more than any other scandal that has gripped the nation. Sadly, there are quite a few contenders for this dubious honour.
One contender is the more recognised type of child abuse. Spotlight (BBC Two, Wednesday) covered the recent crisis in the Presbyterian Church relating to safeguarding issues. It was a familiar story as we heard tales of abuse of young people that were not adequately dealt with by Church authorities. In particular there was a lack of records which made investigation difficult, and a failure in some cases to report credible abuse allegations to the police, whether in Northern Ireland or Donegal. I was particularly disturbed by the case of a perpetrator about whom there were concerns when he was a young leader in a Presbyterian youth group and then went on to further abuse as a teacher. Obviously, such issues are not confined to the Catholic Church, or to any religion – we have seen abuse happen and not being properly dealt with in a range of institutions and indeed in families. Unfortunately, abuse will happen, but if effective safeguarding is in place, it can be minimised, and dealt with promptly and effectively when it does happen. A ‘sweeping review’ is promised in this case.
Inadequate response also figured in the case of the baby aborted at Holles St maternity hospital after being wrongly diagnosed with a ‘fatal foetal abnormality’. On This Week (RTÉ Radio 1, Sunday) CEO of the HSE, Bernard Gloster, apologised to the couple involved and committed to an independent review. Unfortunately, there was no evident distaste for the abortion regime that led, predictably, to this fatal mistake.
On a more positive note, distinguished and versatile actor Timothy Spall, was interviewed on Newsnight (BBC Two, Friday) about his new film Goodbye June, which focuses positively on palliative care with humour and sadness, so it sounds like it will be a tough but rewarding watch. Presenter Matt Chorley asked Spall about his experience of Christmas, and he told how he values family time. He also said he’s coming to focus on the reason behind the season, pointing out that it is, after all, “Christ-mas”. As he is approaching “the precipice” he is paying more attention to spiritual things!
Then, Laura Kuensberg (BBC One, Sunday), the most prominent political show on a Sunday morning, finished with a beautiful rendition of ‘Oh Holy Night’ by Matteo Boccelli. Nice one.
PICK OF THE WEEK
The Way of Edith Stein
EWTN Saturday December 13, 4pm and Tuesday, December 16, 11 am
Follow Edith Stein’s story as she became St Benedicta of the Cross as she converted to Catholicism from a Jewish philosopher and was finally martyred for her steadfast beliefs.
Songs of Praise
BBC One Sunday, December 14, 1.15 pm
Laura Wright explores the meaning of joy in the Advent season and joins Christians in Bedford for an impromptu carol singalong in the town’s shopping centre.
Born That Way
RTÉ one Thursday, December 18, 10.15 pm
Over his final year, Irish-American Patrick Lydon reflects on a journey from US rock journalism to Ireland’s Camphill Movement, and from being an energetic care-giver to a totally dependent recipient of care.
