NEWSROOM

Although social media platforms have shaped our communication styles to a great extent since the day they were established, the lifestyles that dominate these channels and the effects of harmful content on mental health have been the subject of discussion. This has inspired initiatives that offer safe spaces free from content pollution, bullying, and malicious users.

*** This release is originally published in Turkish.

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ISTANBUL (TR) - Although social media platforms that bring people together digitally make our lives easier in many ways, their effects on users’ mental health and psychology are always a matter of discussion. In the studies conducted on the subject, it is seen that the effects of social media platforms on the perception of beauty and lifestyle cause negative effects, especially in adolescents. A study by the Youth, Media and Well-being Research Laboratory found that 21% of young people felt terrible after spending time on social media, and half of them cited their bodies as the reason for these feelings. Another study conducted by Cambridge and Oxford Universities found that young people aged 16-21 who used social media for 7 hours or more had a decrease in life satisfaction.

Islam Faisal, Founder and CEO of the value-oriented social media platform Touchapp, shared his assessment and said, “False lifestyles that are not beneficial for communities and future generations prevail on existing social media platforms. Touchapp, which we announced at the end of last year with its value-oriented social communication approach, gives its users the chance to exchange experiences depending on their interests. We've recently removed more than 2,500 content because it doesn't conform to our community values ​​and doesn't benefit users."

Social media use decreased to 5 years old

Pointing out that the use of social media among adolescents and younger age groups has increased by at least 17% in the past few years, Islam Faisal said, “In the report prepared by the UK communications regulator Ofcom, it is stated that almost all children (99%) access the internet via mobile devices or tablets. It is seen that most children under the age of 13 have an account on at least one social media platform, while 33% of the 5-7 age group have an account on one. When this is the case, what content and under what conditions children and young people access becomes a greater concern for parents. Touchapp brings together those who share common life views and want to improve themselves with the posts made by users with similar interests. In this way, we offer a social communication channel that is free of negativities and content that does not benefit personal development and adds value to society with quality content.”

Cyberbullying affects everyone

Touchapp Founder and CEO Islam Faisal emphasized that cyberbullying, defined by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) as "bullying in social media, messaging platforms and video games with the use of digital technologies,” affects not only children but also people of all ages. He ended with the words: “At Touchapp, we allow every user to build their communities in a way that increases the value of social communication by providing unique tools to prevent all forms of bullying, racism, destructive criticism, and controversy. We promise our users a safe space that expands with quality and valuable content instead of time-wasting useless content, aiming to protect everyone, especially children and young people, from bullying and harmful content. With a clean platform where users can share their thoughts, produce videos and ask questions, we aim to spread our story that started in Turkey globally and reach different users worldwide.”