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Interactive TV exposes children to exploitation
Protecting young people from corrupting influences has been a rallying cry for parents in their never-ending battle to perfect their children's upbringing.
- By Fuad Ali, Mariam M. Al Serkal and Mohammed Shamseddine, Staff Reporters
- Published: 00:00 April 8, 2007
- "Those channels send bad images and they're bad role models for children ... they should close these channels," says Anne McGillivray.
- Image Credit: Gulf News
Fujairah/Dubai/Abu Dhabi: Protecting young people from corrupting influences has been a rallying cry for parents in their never-ending battle to perfect their children's upbringing.
Since the advent of new-age technology, parents seem to have lost some ground to their more adaptive children who - true to their nature - will use whatever advantage they gain in their quest to escape parental control.
Recently, an example of this corrupting-technology drew special flak. An almost endless number of interactive television channels, seemingly bent on wasting youngsters' time while sucking their pockets dry, have caught the attention of government officials who have called it wicked, spreading corruption among youth.
In a Gulf News internet poll, 68 per cent of respondents believed interactive television is indeed a source of corruption for teenagers, with only 21 per cent disagreeing.
Gulf News took to the streets of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah to gauge whether this really is a cause of parental concern or just another case of moral panic.
"It can definitely harm teenagers. I have sisters and brothers who are always watching those channels, but thankfully they do not interact with other viewers.
"The worst thing that can come out of interactive television is that it can encourage illegal relationships, because it's easier to meet people," said Ahmad Awad, 27, a UAE national technician.
Nabeel Faraj Shaieb, a 44-year-old Palestinian engineer said most of these interactive channels put young people in a "state of oblivion". "They make them forget and ignore the real world and the problems and issues in their lives," he said.
"These channels look at the youth merely as consumers to be exploited, they demolish their character by not engaging them intellectually and then they overwhelm them with nonsense. Parents have a grave responsibility to protect their children from this problem," Shaieb stressed, but he acknowledges it's a hard job for which they need help.
"These channels should not be allowed to go on air without satisfying certain rules. Also telephone companies who make huge money from these interactive communications should bear full responsibility for the exploitation of the youth," he said.
Maria Esmail, from Kenya, said such channels are a "form of child and teenage molestation". "It's really bad especially for children; people can send bad messages which are accessible to underage children. Children can also communicate and send messages to such channels. I think this is another form of child molestation."
Muhiddine Aliko, from Syria, said interactive television is bad for teenagers.
"They are socially unacceptable; and will cause corruption among teenagers. I think such channels should be blocked," he said.
Anne McGillivray, from Scotland, also supports action being taken against the channels.
"Those TV channels send bad images and they're bad role models for children. Children see too much nudity and violence these days on video clips. I think they should close these channels down or at least censor them," she said.
Others, however, were on the sidelines, and thought that good things, as well as bad, can result from interactive television.
Ayman Salama Hajaj, a 27-year-old Palestinian accountant, said young people in the Middle East often feel "constrained" so they see these channels as a window to let off some steam. "I think it creates a certain scope for youth to express free will and just be themselves. Also, these channels are a form of democratic practice in the sense that young people are choosing to take part and do what they want.
"The interactive channels are also fulfilling a social purpose in that these help young people learn how to socially interact on an individual basis, regardless of their sex, thus breaking down some inhibitions," added Hajaj.
Ander Caballero, an economic advisor from Spain, agrees. "Teenagers can get accustomed to new technology and learn how to keep in touch with friends, so interactive television is an useful tool. But it can also prevent teenagers from becoming unsocial because they do not have the chance to talk to people face to face."
Hani Mustafa Ramadan, a 36-year-old Egyptian car rental agent, does not see it that way, insisting interactive channels are putting profits before morality. "These channels are only interested in making profits," he said.
"They have no meaningful purpose other than exploiting the youth. They don't offer any educational or informative content only things like songs and text messaging which cost money and kill time. The only way to address this is through raising public awareness and families taking a lead in guiding their children," added Ramadan.
Kazem Mohaghegh, a 46-year-old Iranian businessman, also thinks that the upbringing of children can determine whether they become corrupted.
"It is up to the mother to control what her children do, and if she educates her children properly, they would know better than to get involved in such things," he said.
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