Seminar on Media Literacy Conducted for Members of YSM-YCS unit of Agartala Diocese

Agartala, Tripura, May 3, 2025: A one-day seminar on Media Literacy was organized for the Youth Students Movement (YSM) and Young Catholic Students (YCS) units of Agartala Diocese on May 1, 2025. The event, held at the Agartala Parish Hall, was spearheaded by Youth Coordinator Fr. Lawrence Darlong, with support from Fr. Derrick, the YCS Coordinator of the Diocese. Held under the theme “Walking Together & Leading Together,” the seminar attracted 70 participants from various parishes and institutions across the diocese. The session aimed to address the pressing issues surrounding media usage in today’s world.

Fr. Ivan DSilva, SVD, served as the resource person for the seminar. In his insightful session, he emphasized the potential dangers of mobile and internet usage, particularly among young people. Using multimedia clips, he highlighted the growing concern of sharing unverified content and the risks associated with blindly forwarding messages and images.

Fr. Ivan also cautioned about the unintended consequences of posting selfies, explaining that advanced technology can extract sensitive data, such as fingerprints, from photographs—data that could later be misused for fraudulent activities.

Additionally, Fr. Ivan touched upon the rise of mobile language, including the use of emojis in daily communication. He pointed out that while emojis have become a widespread form of expression, their excessive use could lead to the diminishing of linguistic richness and vocabulary. In his session, he urged participants to be more mindful of their digital communication and its impact on personal privacy and language development.

The seminar was well-received by the youth, who expressed a heightened awareness of the issues raised, particularly in the context of their use of the internet and communication applications

By Fr. Ivan Dsilva