Social Media Breaches the Right of Privacy
Having specified in her speech at the session addressing “Effect of Media on the Family Dynamics : Digitalization of Relationships” that our entire lives runs on social media, Prof. Dr. Ferhan Odabaşı said “Communication has turned into an excessive communication. Whatsapp groups have been set up. Information sharing has increased; families have started to share the pictures of their children. Our right of privacy is being breached”.
The Third International Women and Justice Summit, which was jointly organized by the Women and Democracy Association (KADEM) and the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services, was held in Istanbul based on the main theme of “Strengthening of the Family Institution”.
Parallel sessions were held within the scope of the Summit. At the sessions, the developments in different areas for the purpose of strengthening the family institution, successful examples and the determinations and solution offered in relation to ongoing problems were discussed.
The session addressing “Effect of Media on Family Dynamics : Digitalization of Relationships” was moderated by Journalist Fatma Barbarosoğlu.
We have not grasped the values associated with the internet yet
Dr. Sumaiyah Ahmed stated that, strengthening of women is considered to be one of the most significant issues at global level. Having emphasized that values and family must be updated in the digital sphere, Ahmed stated “What is important here is to review the role of women. Women are not represented separately in digital environment. Women are shown as an object and they are being made into a commodity. We can refer to it as a virtual sexuality problem. A family friendly social media is not being invested in. We have not grasps the values of the internet yet Child friendly software and hardware must be developed. User friendly technologies must be developed. Women and girls must be encouraged to pursue a career in the technology sector. Women and men must be employed equally in the digital sphere. Family values must also find a place in the digital sphere.
We must return to traditional family values
Having specified that everybody experiences social media transformation, Prof. Dr. Dong Hoon Ma emphasized on the fact that: “55 percent of the world’s population are using digital media. Mobile phones rates are quite high standing at 68 percent. Mobile phones are involved in everything. Today, family comes together but they look at their phones. Digital media and smart phones have taken us away from the family. Previously, family had only one center. Mother and father used to take the decisions. Now youngsters are taking their own decisions. Now there is a multicenter structure. Social and political views are polzarized. Individuals in the family started to think differently. Now we cannot talk much about traditional family values. It seems like family members are each building their own castle. And they don’t want to come out of this castle. For this reason, we must impose certain restrictions on social media. We must go back to traditional family values.”
Don’t share the picture of your child on social media
Having specified that social media is a channel through which our entire life is revealed, Prof. Dr. Ferhan Odabaşı stated: “At the moment, all societies which have access to social media are in the same condition. Communication has turned into an excessive communication. Whatsapp groups have been set up now. Information sharing has increased; families have started to share the pictures of their children. These are very wrong things, I am warning all the families as a teacher. Socialization has lost its identity with facebook. We have lost our values. While accessing information, we have become isolated. Previously we used to reach it from libraries and make friends. If you don’t obtain the information from its real source, you will be like a spare prick at a wedding. I changed my relationships with phones. I abstain from social networking. Whatever you do for yourself on social media, you must abstain from those things which will put the life of your child in danger. We must create more efficient areas of use. We must know how to both reject and accept the technology.
We must raise our children as a media literate
Having stated that he has produced a film named Digital Slavery, Producer Birol Güven shared the following information: We illustrated the digital slavery of the future. Internet addiction is the only addiction in the world which cannot be prevented. We are confronted with an addiction which cannot be prohibited. We are now celebrating the special events on the social media platforms. Adults face a lot of difficulty in this age. None of us and nothing is more interesting than internet. If we don’t appreciate the children in their life, we cannot fight against internet. I don’t think family will be seriously affected by this transformation. Because the love in a family is eternal. In the age of digital civilization, family will represent a harbour for these youngsters to seek refuge. I think that it cannot destroy the family. If we raise our children as a media literate, they will protect themselves.”
