How much of young people's time is being taken up by social media?
I recently read an article on VTV24 that truly shocked me: Vietnam is among the countries with the highest rates of internet and social media users in the world. Even more noteworthy, according to the annual survey report on Vietnamese youth by the Institute for Youth Research (Central Committee of the Youth Union), nearly 17% of young people use the internet and social media for 8 hours or more each day.
Phuoc AnhDecember 24, 2025
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In the evening, the whole family sits around the dinner table. Parents chat intermittently about work, family, and neighbors. The older and younger children eat while scrolling through their phones, engrossed in mukbang videos on TikTok. When reminded, they look up, mumble a "yes," and then quickly look back down to swipe the screen again.
It's noticeable that those little screens accompany our children from the moment they wake up until they're about to go to sleep. On the way home from school, while waiting for dinner, before bedtime. They watch one video after another, from stories about strangers to dramas completely unrelated to their own lives. Time flies by so quickly, it's hard to remember what they've done in a day besides… being online!
A few days ago, I read a report on VTV24 that truly shocked me: Vietnam is among the countries with the highest rates of internet and social media users in the world. Even more noteworthy, according to the annual survey report on Vietnamese youth by the Institute for Youth Research (Central Committee of the Youth Union), nearly 17% of young people use the internet and social media for 8 hours or more each day. Hearing that number, many might say, "That's how it is these days!"; but comparing it to the lives of teenagers, it's truly worrying. Those 8 hours are crucial for youth, for character formation, and for first encounters in life. What is it being used for? More importantly, what is it taking away?
Undeniably, social media offers many things, providing quick information, wide connections, and opening up the whole world at a touch. Young people today know more, faster, and are more tech-savvy, but in return, they also live in a very hectic and exhausting rhythm. Information on social media comes flooding in; before they can fully absorb, reflect on, or synthesize it, the information flow pushes them to something else. They rush to new trends before they can fully experience sadness. Their joy is short-lived, and then they panic over a huge scandal. Gradually, concentration becomes a luxury. Many young people today find it difficult and boring to read a long article; they feel impatient listening to someone tell a story; and they feel empty even in moments of quiet reflection.
Adults sometimes scold their children for being "addicted to the internet" or "spending all day on their phones," but looking back, adults are living the same way! Talking while holding their phones. Answering messages while eating. Scrolling through social media while being with their children. When screens consume adults' time, it's difficult to expect children to be different, difficult to explain to them that there are things social media can't offer in real life, like the feeling of reading a book completely and finishing it with a lingering impression, like a purposeless afternoon stroll, like a conversation not interrupted by phone notifications... These small things are when people learn to think independently, endure loneliness, and understand their own emotions.
We're not denying technology, nor are we reminiscing about the "old days." The world has changed, and it's hard to change that young people can't live without the internet. Therefore, perhaps the most important thing for each family isn't prohibition, but genuine presence with their children. Parents shouldn't just constantly remind their children to limit their phone use, scold them, or threaten them with computer use. Instead, they should ask their children if they're tired, stressed, or if anything online is making them anxious or scared. They should also talk about trending topics online to understand, empathize with, and guide their children's thoughts and feelings. On weekends, families should try to dedicate short, quality time together, going for walks, picnics, or having coffee... to foster genuine bonding.
Each generation faces its own challenges. For today's generation, the challenge isn't a lack of information, but an excess; it's not a lack of connection, but an over-connection. Maintaining balance in a world constantly drawing people closer to screens is perhaps a new form of resilience for young people today.
