Is Instagram the New Parent? Nara Lokesh on Digital Age Parenting Challenges

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and Andhra Pradesh minister Nara Lokesh expresses his concern about the evolving landscape of parenting in India. He argues that digital platforms, such as Instagram, are increasingly replacing the traditional role of family in shaping a child’s development.

Shifting Family Dynamics and the Rise of Social Media

Lokesh reflects on the past, emphasizing the importance of joint families in fostering values and social skills. “If you look at it in the past,” he tells NDTV, “families were joint families and we would learn a lot. We would serve our elders first and learn how to respect, socialise, discuss various issues across the table.” He contrasts this with the reality of modern nuclear families where, due to work pressures, children are often left to their own devices, turning to social media for connection and guidance.

Outsourcing Childhood to Instagram

“But today’s families have become very nuclear and under work pressure, the child is outsourced to Instagram or various other social media platforms,” Lokesh explains. This “outsourcing” to social media, he argues, has significant implications for children’s socialization. “Today socialisation is happening on social media. It’s not happening within the family,” he warns, pointing to a potential erosion of traditional family values and interpersonal skills.