By Joseph Swalili

Port Moresby, PNG, 5 June 2025 -- When I was in Grade 3, I noticed that my elder brother and some of my classmates had smartphones. Like any other kid, I cried and begged my parents to buy me one so I could also take part in what my brother and friends were doing. My parents told me I was still too young to have a phone. I wasn’t satisfied with their response and kept bringing it up. But eventually, I decided to stay quiet and focus on my schoolwork. I was the top student in my class and came first in all my subjects. When I reached Grade 7, my parents appreciated my effort and recognised that I was doing well in school. They then bought me my first phone - a Mint M5. I was so filled with joy that I started crying. However, it came with a simple condition: my parents installed a Parental Control App to limit my access to social media, manage my screen time, and monitor my usage. My only online access was through Google, which I could use for school research.

That was until I reached Grade 8. I became the Head Boy and was the 2nd runner-up in the entire grade. My parents were so proud that they bought me a much bigger phone - a Samsung A5 - as my Christmas gift. At first, everything seemed fine. But gradually, I was introduced to various social media platforms. I started spending most of my time in my room, scrolling through TikTok or chatting with friends on WhatsApp and Instagram.

Soon, I began noticing changes in my daily behaviour: I became easily irritated, anxious, and felt depressed over small things. I had trouble sleeping at night and often slept during school hours. This affected my focus and concentration on my studies. Sadly, I didn’t do well in my first term exam in Grade 9 this year at Kila Kila Secondary School in Port Moresby.

I spent nearly all my time on my phone. Worse, I even introduced my two younger sisters to a world they were far too young for. One is 5 years old and the other is just 3. They started using our parents’ phone to watch YouTube and soon became so addicted that they are now lost in their own little world. My youngest sister spends most of her time on the phone. They’ve started arguing about who gets to use mobile data. Everywhere they go, they hold onto the phone - either watching videos or playing games. I find it extremely annoying, but deep down, I know I’m to blame.

As their older brother, I should have paid more attention to them instead of being glued to my phone. But instead of correcting the situation, we just let it slide because it was the easiest way to keep them quiet. We didn’t realize we were spoiling them in the process.

I now feel responsible for their exposure to social media, since I was the one who introduced it to them. However, since attending the Media Education Seminars, I’ve learned about the pros and cons of technology and social media. I am committed to trying to fix what I started.

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