Actress, presenter and singer Nandi Madida says social media is very toxic for children.
Madida is married to singer and record producer Zakes Bantwini, and the couple have two children, son, Shaka, who is five years old, and three-year-old daughter, Queen Nefertiti.
Referring to Penélope Cruz’s CBS Sunday Morning interview about the adverse effects of social media on children, Madida took to Twitter to express her views on the toxicity of social media.
“I was lucky that during my childhood there wasn’t social media,” tweeted Madida.
“I worry so much that these sometimes toxic platforms do take a toll on children, as a parent you just want to protect all kids from the toxicity that comes with your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram…etc. 💗🙏🏽.”
I was lucky that during my childhood there wasn’t social media.I worry so much that these sometimes toxic platforms don’t take a toll on children, as a parent you just want to protect all kids from the toxicity that comes with your twitters, fb, IG etc. 💗🙏🏽. pic.twitter.com/huNjNtHvRm
— Nandi Madida (@Nandi_Madida) June 19, 2022
The star went on to remind fans that social media isn’t “real”.
“They’ll be trolls, liars, opinion makers, admirers etc. But it is paramount to understand that you cannot in any way let a make-believe world affect your mental health and reality💗🙏🏽. Much love ✨” she shared the post on her Instagram as well.
Madida’s post got a nod from fans and industry friends including radio host Tbo Touch, Hollywood actress Taraji P Henson and comedienne Tumi Morake, who all agreed that social media had a negative effect on the mental health of many people around the world.
Speaking to Rita Braver of CBS Sunday Morning, Cruz explained that she had a “strange relationship” with social media.
“I use very little of it, in a very careful way,” said Cruz.
She further expressed concerns about the “lack of protection” for kids on social media.
“There is something that is not making sense and it's especially affecting the young generations. I feel really bad for the ones that are teenagers now. It's almost as if the world was doing some kind of experiment on them: oh keys see what happens if you expose a 12-year-old to that much technology.
“The lack of protection that it is for a 12-year-old to be involved with social media, any form of social media. ..There is no protection for brains that are still developing…”
The Oscar-award-winning actress revealed that she was very strict with her two children, stating that they would only be allowed to own cellphones when they are “older”.
“I'm very tough with technology, for example, with my kids. It's like we can watch movies sometimes or some cartoons... how can I not let them watch movies? That has been some of the incredible moments of happiness since I was a little girl... But not phones until they are much older,” she said.