The Internet and the Youth: A call for action

Young Minds Academy 4 scholar/Young Minds on Xplore 2012 delegate

CEBU, Philippines - We are living in an era where social networking is at its peak, and the youth are its main drivers.

It seems that Facebooking and Tweeting have become synonymous to sharing a cup of coffee with the rest of the users around the globe. Transcending distance, culture, and language (with the increasing popularity and functionality of online translators), social networking provides a platform for interactive and proactive discussions on world issues like racial discrimination, slavery, poverty, and even political concerns of other states.

In ways we're aware, social networking has shaped our views and opinions on certain subjects. Call it conformism but we have become more involved than before in international issues. There have been some serious cases when posts and tweets of "netizens" have created a noise too loud to be ignored by statesmen.

What makes this even more amazing is that majority of the users belong to the youth, thus they serve as an ignition that sets ablaze the flame of global interconnectedness.

 It was late last year when one internet site took an offshoot in its popularity. Every teenager must have heard of 9gag.com.

The site tackles controversies from world to everyday life issues punched with smart humor. They popularized the troll faces and memes that created a worldwide phenomenon. These can be considered representations of the youth's responses and feedbacks to issues, which may even sometimes involve themselves.

The youth found their way of articulating and being heard without compromising the artistic side. As they say, one picture makes a landscape of words.

Also popular on the web is YouTube, a site where users can upload, share, and view videos. Many artists achieved fame through this site.

Young people today have uploaded song covers, short movies, documentaries, and homemade videos until they become sensations. This proves that people, famous or not, can influence the world and get their cause carried from miles on end through the internet. 

For instance, Manila has recently experienced flooding, where many were greatly affected. Despite this, citizens, especially young people, still had the time to go online. Through social networking sites, calls for help and real-time updates spread. The response even saved lives.

Here in Cebu, we continually face our share of challenges in urban development, however, we are reminded that sustainability and liveability should be prioritized, which is what the Mega Cebu Project advocates.

As a scholar of the Young Minds Academy, I'm encouraging my fellow youth to take an active role in making the Mega Cebu vision a reality by influencing others through new media to do their share in the work of making Metro Cebu a better place to live and work in.

As the world becomes more virtually connected, more opportunities open to effect change. With an easy access to the internet, all it takes is a clear purpose and message.

For a start, how about posting or tweeting an act of heroism or a simple act of kindness you've seen or done yourself during the day?