Weapon shows by youngsters must be discouraged

A screenshot of a boy from Pune district shows him attacking another boy

The race for social media likes and yearning for eyeballs and attention is making young people go to dangerous lengths. Recently the police warned at least five children who were rounded up. The reason was that a video had emerged on social media showing at least one child firing at another, though it was a toy gun. The cops counselled the kids and alerted their parents that any acts of violence will invite serious consequences.

There have been several videos of youngsters brandishing swords. One video showed a young man cutting a cake with a sword. Others then followed with several teenagers and youngsters seen cutting cakes with swords on celebratory occasions.

It is important for young people to realise this is not bravado but foolish acts. There is a thin line between the real and the virtual and sometimes this can get transgressed with unfortunate results. It is also important to counsel children and youngsters that even if they do not do so themselves, they should not put likes and thumbs up signs on such pictures. This shows endorsement and is an unwanted and unnecessary encouragement to carry on with such inane and sometimes dangerous posing.

We have seen young people encouraged to travel on roofs of trains, swing from the bars and do stunts inside moving trains as they were inspired by pictures on social media. They were spurred on by the approval and supposed adulation of a legion of fans on the platform and decided to take the insta-popularity, insta-fame route, by doing such stunts themselves, often with tragic consequences. That is the power and lure of this medium and these examples underscore the need to nip the posing with weapons on social media in the bud. A multi-pronged effort by teachers, counsellors, parents and enlightened peers will be helpful.