Over the past three decades, the World Wide Web has evolved from being merely a medium for distributing information that could only be read by users, into a system that enables individuals to interact, share, and continuously update a massive volume of information produced in a decentralized manner. This transformation means that the Internet has become a global interactive channel that allows its users to both produce and consume digital content.
This evolution coincided with the rise of social media, which refers to a set of tools and platforms that facilitate interaction, discussion, and the sharing of multiple forms of content (texts, videos, audio files, images, etc.). Today, these platforms have become an inseparable part of the daily lives of hundreds of millions of people worldwide, exerting enormous influence over nearly every aspect of life—including education. Therefore, with the beginning of the academic year in many countries around the world and across the Arab region, this analysis examines the impact of social media on educational systems and how to maximize its benefits.
Advantages of Utilization
There are several advantages to employing social media in educational systems, including the following:
1. Greater communication opportunities:
Digital platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and others allow students to communicate outside official teaching hours, where they can ask questions, discuss various topics, and share study materials. This promotes wider participation, which is particularly important in the early years of schooling when younger students require longer guidance and quicker feedback.
2. Creating virtual learning communities:
These tools allow students to connect with peers in study groups and collaborate on research projects, while also providing access to diverse, up-to-date resources not typically found in prescribed textbooks. Platforms like Google Classroom clearly demonstrate this benefit, enabling collaborative work anytime and anywhere.
3. Access to a vast wealth of information:
Social media platforms provide users with access to enormous amounts of educational resources that complement and enrich what is learned through traditional methods. Analyzing information from varied sources helps students develop critical thinking skills.
4. Enhancing digital skills:
These platforms help students develop essential digital skills that are vital for their academic and professional futures.
Counterproductive Aspects
In contrast to the advantages, there are several drawbacks to using social media in education, including:
1. Distraction and reduced focus:
Continuous notifications and the constant urge to check updates lower productivity and harm concentration. Excessive use can negatively affect academic performance by diverting attention from crucial activities such as homework and family interaction. This is especially harmful in the early stages of education when foundational concepts and skills must be learned. Addiction to social media may even put an entire academic future at risk.
2. Security and privacy risks:
Younger students are particularly vulnerable to exposure to inappropriate content and cyberbullying. This highlights the urgent need to train students on how to protect their personal data while browsing. Cyberbullying can include harmful messages intended to hurt recipients, such as spreading false news or rumors about students or teachers. Digital platforms are especially conducive to bullying due to anonymity and the ability to spread hatred widely. Such experiences can spill over into real life, damaging students’ mental health and academic performance.
3. Superficial communication:
Interaction through these platforms tends to be artificial and limited. Online communication inherently lacks the depth and qualities of face-to-face engagement, which may negatively affect personal relationships.
4. Misinformation:
Social media serves as a fertile ground for the spread of fake news. Students exposed to such disinformation may suffer from distorted understanding of issues. This underscores the importance of developing critical thinking skills and teaching students to verify the authenticity of information before accepting or sharing it.
Government Approaches
Globally, governments have adopted different approaches to regulating the use of social media in education, ranging from partial bans and restrictive regulations to openness and promotion of responsible use.
1. Partial bans and restrictive regulation:
This strategy involves preventing children and teenagers under a certain age from using social media or shutting down specific apps. The rationale is to protect the mental health and wellbeing of young people, since risks such as cyberbullying and exposure to harmful content outweigh potential benefits.
Australia is an example. In November 2024, its government passed the Online Safety Amendment, which bans children under 16 from using social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat, though it exempts apps like WhatsApp and Google Classroom that are primarily designed for educational purposes. The law obliges platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent under-16 users from creating accounts, though it remains unclear how enforcement will work or how existing accounts will be handled. The law does not entirely prevent minors from viewing harmful content—it only bars them from having personal accounts. The legislation came partly in response to the Let Them Be Kids campaign, which highlighted tragic cases of children who turned to suicide after exposure to harmful online interactions. It also followed political pressure from state governments and opposition parties. The federal government argues that those under 16 are the most vulnerable to the negative consequences of social media.
Albania similarly decided in March 2025 to ban TikTok for 12 months, citing its role in fueling youth violence. The move came after a teenage stabbing incident that originated from an online conflict on the app. Parents also voiced concerns over reports suggesting that certain social media content encourages children to carry knives to schools or engage in bullying. Alongside the ban, the government increased police presence in schools and launched awareness programs for students, teachers, and parents about the risks of social media.
Critics of outright bans argue that other measures might be more effective, such as obliging platforms to provide stronger user controls over algorithms, passing child protection laws for online browsing, and teaching children how to use these tools safely in the era of AI-driven digital life.
2. Openness and responsible use:
In this approach, governments do not impose strict restrictions on social media in education, instead seeking to harness these tools responsibly.
- Finland is a prime example. It has adopted digitalization policies in education and training through 2027, aiming to become a global leader in sustainable digital transformation in education. These policies integrate digital tools, environments, and skills across all levels of education—from early childhood to higher education—while ensuring ethical considerations. In April 2025, Finland passed legislation restricting mobile phone use during class time, permitting it only for health or learning purposes under teacher supervision.
- In the Arab world, more universities are embracing specialized online education platforms such as Blackboard and Thinqi, which provide virtual campuses where students and professors can access courses, interact, and engage in structured digital learning environments.
The Delicate Balance
The greatest challenge for governments lies in striking a balance between equipping students with digital skills and leveraging modern technology to support learning, while also setting appropriate boundaries to mitigate drawbacks.
To achieve this, countries must avoid a superficial approach to social media and technology. Instead, they should adopt creative strategies such as enhancing digital skills, encouraging informed choices, and enforcing robust safeguards to maximize benefits. This includes integrating curricula that teach critical thinking and media literacy from an early age, guiding students to differentiate between credible and misleading information, and fostering collaboration between governments and major tech companies to remove harmful content, protect student privacy, and strengthen educational uses of digital platforms.
Parallel to this, awareness programs for families are needed to help parents monitor their children’s online activities.
