Shows like ‘Adolescence’ make us reassess, recalibrate as parents: Neha Dhupia

Actor Neha Dhupia on Monday said that shows such as the Netflix series ‘Adolescence’ make the viewer “reassess and recalibrate” their understanding of a present-day teenager’s mindset, who could take refuge in the virtual world in their struggle to “fit in”.

While social media cannot be blacked out from anyone’s life in today’s world, there is an urgent need to draw boundaries on sharing personal information, she said.

The actor-turned-producer and parenting influencer was speaking at a session on “Impact of films, OTT and internet culture on children” at a National Dialogue on Children’s Rights on the Internet, Infantia, hosted by the Assam Police.

Referring to teenagers trying to “fit in” with their peers, Dhupia said there are times when they take refuge in the virtual world as they struggle in the real one and feel “left out”.

Mentioning the British miniseries ‘Adolescence’, which deals with issues of youth mental health, violence and online toxicity, she said, “When you see shows like this, it is so difficult to even fathom. I would watch for 12-15 minutes and then take a break to reassess. I was recalibrating what I want to do with my life as a parent.”

Dhupia added that she was optimistic that such shows would be made in India also, soon.

The actor maintained that it is not possible to keep children completely off social media in present times and the parents will have to keep a tab on the digital footprint of their wards.

She said social media has turned all its users into content creators as anyone can make their videos or other materials and post them on the internet.

“When the creators start, they want validation. But hopefully, later, they realise that they have a voice and use it in the right direction,” she said, adding that “likes and comments” on social media posts cannot be the yardstick to measure a person’s success at any level.

She also sounded a note of caution on children adopting “dual identity” on the internet and stressed the need for parents to monitor the youngsters’ online activities.

Warning against “oversharing” on social media, Dhupia said, “We need to define limits on social media. It is like pulling the curtains or closing the door at home so others cannot peek into our private lives.”

She called upon parents to be aware of the perils of sharing too much information about their children, while also underlining the concept of “consent” of the children before uploading their photos or videos.

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“We tell children about boundaries, but we forget to take their consent while posting about them,” she added.

Dhupia stressed that parents must have conversations with their children and ensure an environment where the children do not feel judged so they can open up in real life rather than seeking a false refuge in the digital world.