According to Karani Nyamu, youth population is increasing explosively particularly in developing countries as a result of rapid urbanization. This increase is bringing large number of social and economic problems. Take Kenya for example, the impacts of job and training availability, and the physical, social and cultural quality of urban environment on young people are enormous, and affect their health, lifestyles, and well-being (Gleeson and Sipe 2006). Besides this, globalization and technological developments are affecting youth in urban areas in all parts of the world, both positively and negatively (Robertson 1995).
Karani Nyamu says that according to Idowu Michael, more often than ever before, technology has transformed the way younger generation communicate and access information. Two major assumptions underlie the role of ICT: the first is that the proliferation of these technologies is causing rapid transformations in all areas of life; the second is that ICT function to unify and standardize culture. It is on the basis of these assumptions that the term “information age and globalization” evolved.
Karani Nyamu identified these as major categories of both positive and negative impacts of ICT on youths:
Social Interactions
According to an in-depth evaluation of the impact of ICT on youth published in the 2003 World Youth Report prepared by the United Nations, ICT has changed the way young people interact socially, as digital communication has increasingly replaced traditional forms of interaction. ICT offers youth autonomy from families with access to vast virtual social networks that provide more instantly-gratifying, but less personal interactions.
Psychological Health
Some researches, including a Swedish study published in a 2007 issue of the Journal of Computers in Human Behaviour, highlights the potential negative impacts of ICT on youths. Such studies tend to conclude that a high quantity of ICT use has a risk factor of developing psychological health challenges among youths.
Education and Empowerment
ICT also offers opportunities for youth empowerment and education, particularly in societies where resources are limited. Researches has shown that the youths in various locations can use ICT to maintain cultures, gain knowledge, develop skills and generate income. According to the 2005 World Youth Report section on youth in civil society, “ICT is increasingly being used to improve access to education and employment opportunities, which supports efforts to eradicate poverty.
ICT has also helped greatly in the communication system of the drabbled. The disabled now have the opportunity to communicate through electronic communication boards and specialized computers software.
It has made the world a global village, making us know what happens around. It has drastically reduced time and distance.
ICT has helped to communicate en-masses i.e. it has aid mass communication through e-mails, e-news letters to a large audience.
It allows users to participate in a world in which work and other activities can be accessed to varied technologies.
ICT has led to unemployment since with ICT, people are exposed to what machines and faster than human beings and through his people lost job.
ICT has also brought about the eradication of air culture. The youth of nowadays, take in the case of dressing, greeting are now following the steps of white thereby warning their own culture aside.
