Flip side of technology

Mobile phone addiction among children has quietly grown into one of the gravest social and developmental challenges confronting society today. What was once hailed as a tool for learning and connectivity has become a vehicle for distraction, misinformation, and moral corrosion. The problem is no longer confined to individual households; it has evolved into a social syndrome that demands urgent intervention. The numbers already reveal the magnitude of the crisis in Nagaland. According to official reports, as of March 2025, Nagaland has an estimated 1.74 million telephone subscribers, with wireless connections making up the overwhelming majority. This marks a year-on-year increase of about 30,000 new users, taking the tele-density to 76.50 percent. While these figures indicate technological advancement, they also expose the growing dependency on mobile devices across age groups, including among children who are increasingly being initiated into a digital culture devoid of regulation or supervision. The result is a generation increasingly restless, distracted, and disconnected from real human interaction. The school system, once the primary institution of learning and moral formation, now faces the daunting task of competing with an omnipresent digital influence that has no boundaries and no accountability. It is no exaggeration to say that mobile addiction among children has reached a crisis point. Teachers are reporting a steep decline in attention spans and classroom participation, while parents struggle to discipline children who view smartphones as extensions of their identity. Schools must introduce digital literacy and self-regulation modules in their curriculum from the primary level. Teachers must be trained to identify behavioral symptoms of addiction and refer students for counselling where necessary. The media too has a crucial role to play by highlighting the psychological, social, and moral implications of digital overuse among minors. The crisis has a deeper social dimension. Many adults themselves have fallen prey to mobile dependency, making it difficult to set an example for their children. Parents often resort to handing over mobile phones to keep children occupied, unaware that they are nurturing early signs of addiction. This has created a vicious cycle-one that thrives on neglect and convenience. Addressing this crisis requires a concerted effort from all sections-parents, educators, policymakers, and community leaders. Restrictive measures such as screen-time limits may help, but they are not sufficient on their own. The more sustainable approach lies in engaging children in constructive alternatives- sports, creative hobbies, reading, and interactive family activities. This, however, demands time and commitment from parents who must take responsibility for setting boundaries and fostering discipline. Society must acknowledge this for what it truly is-a silent epidemic that threatens to reshape family life, education, and even community values. The future generation risks growing up intellectually fragmented, emotionally detached, and morally confused. Society all over, stand at a crossroads. The choice is between proactive policy and passive neglect. Mobile phone addiction is no longer just a social issue-it is a challenge that will define how responsibly we shape our future in an increasingly digital world. The time has come for collective action. Protecting the minds of children from the tyranny of screens must become a shared moral responsibility, for what is at stake is not merely technology misuse but the future character of an entire generation.