By Sr. Lydia Mukari, SMK

The Passive Scroll: How Passive Observing Alters Teen Self-Worth and Belonging

Think about the last time you saw a teenager on their phone. Their thumb was probably moving in a continuous, quiet scroll up the screen. They weren’t typing a reply, sharing a photo, or making a video. They were just watching.

Recent data shows a major shift in how young people use the internet: roughly 65% of teenagers are now purely passive users. They have become ‘‘lurkers’’ – invisible observers of an online world that never stops moving. Locally, researchers at the Shamiri Institute have pointed out that too much unguided screen time is closely tied to rising anxiety and depression among Kenyan youth, mostly because they are constantly comparing their looks and lifestyles to what they see online.

When a teenager’s digital life is only about watching rather than doing, it changes how they figure out who they are. Instead of mixing with others in real life, they sit back and watch a highly polished, filtered version of other people’s lives. This quiet watching brings a heavy emotional burden, making teens feel left out, lonely, and stressed about missing out on the fun.

We cannot leave young people to handle this quiet pressure all by themselves. Supporting them takes a team effort from everyone who shapes their world.

To help with this, the Loyola Centre for Media and Communications (LCMC) offers a practical course called Media, Children, and Identity Formation. This program gives parents, teachers, and media professionals the right tools to guide young people from just staring at screens to taking real control of their digital lives.

Here is how different groups can use the course to support teenagers today:

• For Parents: The course helps you move away from just being the ‘‘tech police.’’ It gives you simple ways to start open conversations at the dinner table, helping your children see through online filters so they can value themselves for who they are in the real world.
• For Media Professionals and Creators: This training helps creators look beyond likes and views. It teaches how media affects a child’s mind, showing professionals how to make positive, age-appropriate content that encourages kids to participate instead of just scrolling endlessly.
• For Teachers and Mentors: Participants learn how to teach digital habits in a simple way, helping teenagers spot how apps try to hook them, manage their screen time better, and enjoy their offline time.

Our youth do not have to be helpless targets of an endless social media feed. By working together and using the right approach, we can help them become smart, confident directors of their own digital journeys.