On a bright Wednesday morning, the halls of Tudapems Private School in Akute, Ogun State were filled with more than the usual hum of school life. There was a sense of anticipation in the air as more than 160 students, from junior to senior secondary classes, gathered for a conversation that felt very different from their regular lessons. The visitor was The Minds for Impact (TMI) Initiative, a youth-led nonprofit organisation that has made it its mission to help young people navigate the digital world responsibly. The topic of the day was not mathematics or English literature; it was about the posts they share, the videos they forward, and the information they consume every single day. The initiative’s “Pause Before You Share” campaign had come to their school, and the message was both simple and urgent: before you spread something online, stop and think. In a world where a single tap can send a rumour across thousands of phones in minutes, where a manipulated image can destroy a reputation, and where false stories often travel faster than facts, teaching young people to pause is no longer just good advice—it is essential. The students listened with curiosity, their faces reflecting a mix of excitement and confusion. Some of them admitted that they already spent hours each day on social media, following popular influencers, laughing at viral challenges, and dreaming of becoming content creators themselves. A few even confessed that they ran their own pages, posting skits, opinions, and updates for their friends and followers. The facilitators from TMI were not surprised. They wanted to channel this energy, not discourage it. They knew that social media is not going anywhere, and neither is the creativity of young people. The question was not how to keep students away from these platforms, but how to help them use their voices with wisdom and integrity.
The session was never intended to be a lecture, and it did not feel like one. It was a conversation, an open exchange between young people who understood the language of the internet and facilitators who had come to remind them of something they already knew deep down: great power comes with great responsibility. Mariam Ileyemi, the Team Lead of TMI Initiative, spoke directly to the students, telling them that they are not just passive consumers of content but active players in the information ecosystem. She explained that young people play a crucial role in preventing the spread of false information, and that every share is a choice. Do they want to be part of the problem, or part of the solution? This framing changed the mood in the room. It was no longer about avoiding punishment or following rules; it was about identity. What kind of digital citizen do you want to be? Ileyemi also touched on something that many students had never considered: the permanence of their digital footprints. She described the internet as a long memory that never forgets. A post made in anger today can resurface years later during a university application review or a job interview. A careless comment, an embarrassing photo, or an unverified rumour shared in a moment of boredom can follow a person for the rest of their life. The students looked at each other, some frowning, some nodding. A few may have thought about their own profiles and wondered what a stranger might conclude about them after scrolling through their posts. But there was no shame in the room, only awareness. The message was not “do not go online”; it was “go online with intention.” Think before you post. Ask whether it is kind. Ask whether it is true. And if you are not sure, pause. That pause, small as it seems, has the power to change the world.
Abdullahi Sulaimon, the programme coordinator of TMI Initiative, took the conversation a step further by helping the students see the brighter side of social media. He did not want them to leave with fear in their hearts or the belief that the internet is a dangerous place to be avoided. Instead, he painted a picture of opportunity. Social media connects people across oceans, builds friendships that would never have existed otherwise, gives access to knowledge and learning, and even opens doors to employment. He told the students that many young people have landed jobs simply because an employer saw their thoughtful posts, their creative portfolios, or their professional profiles online. The same tool that can spread lies can also spread hope, knowledge, and opportunity. It all depends on how it is used. Sulaimon used an analogy that stuck with the audience: a knife can be used to prepare food or to cause harm, but the knife itself is not evil. The hand that holds it makes the choice. In the same way, social media is neutral. It takes on the character of its users. He encouraged the students to think of their profiles as digital resumes, as a public record of who they are and what they care about. If a stranger looked at their timeline, would they see kindness, curiosity, and critical thinking? Or would they see gossip, anger, and carelessness? These questions may sound simple, but they are powerful. They shift the focus from what social media does to us to what we do with social media. Sulaimon also reminded the students of the practical dangers of misinformation. He explained that false information is often designed to trigger strong emotions—rage, fear, excitement—because emotions short-circuit our critical thinking. When a post makes you feel something deeply, that is exactly the moment to pause. Ask yourself: who is saying this? What evidence is there? Is this image or video real? Has this been checked by reliable sources? These are not complicated skills, but they are survival skills in the digital age.
The facilitators also gave the students tangible tools they could carry with them into their daily online lives. First, check the source of any information before sharing it. If the account is unknown, anonymous, or known for spreading sensational content, treat it with suspicion. Second, scrutinise images and videos carefully. Old videos often resurface as “current” events, and edited photos can be made to show almost anything. A simple search can reveal the truth. Third, watch out for language that tries to manipulate your emotions. Frantic headlines, excessive exclamation marks, and stories that seem too good or too terrible to be true usually are. Fourth, understand the difference between misinformation and disinformation. Misinformation is false information shared by someone who does not know it is false. Disinformation is false information deliberately created and spread with the intention to deceive. Both are harmful, but disinformation is especially dangerous because it is designed to exploit trust and manipulate public opinion. The students also learned about the importance of protecting their personal information online. They were urged not to share passwords, not to post their locations in real time, and to be careful about the personal details they reveal to strangers. Cyberbullying and hate speech were also addressed. The message was clear: words online are not just words. They have real consequences. They can wound, humiliate, and even destroy lives. The school principal, Bukola Oguntoyinbo, reinforced this message with a sobering reminder that content published online can either help students in the future or come back to haunt them. She mentioned that many scholarships and educational opportunities now include a review of applicants’ online presence. A promising student could lose a chance because of a reckless post made years earlier. On the other hand, a positive digital footprint could make a student stand out in a crowded field. She encouraged the students to take control of their online narratives now, before the internet writes their stories for them.
The concerns raised at that school in Ogun State are not limited to Nigeria; they are part of a global conversation about children and the digital world. A 2025 UNICEF report, titled “Childhood in a Digital World,” examined evidence from 21 countries and found that while digital experiences can help children develop valuable skills, they also expose them to significant risks. Online bullying, sexual abuse, and exposure to harmful content all have serious effects on young people’s mental health. The report found that children who experienced these harms were significantly more likely to suffer from anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and self-harming behaviours. But the report also made an important point: screen time alone should not be treated as the main measure of online harm. It is not simply how many hours a child spends online that matters; it is what happens during those hours. A teenager who spends time talking with supportive friends, learning new skills, or expressing themselves creatively is having a very different experience from one who is being harassed, exploited, or flooded with hateful content. This distinction is vital for parents, teachers, and policymakers. Instead of panicking about technology, they should focus on preventing specific harms—stopping online abuse, protecting vulnerable children, and teaching digital literacy. TMI Initiative’s “Pause Before You Share” campaign is exactly the kind of intervention that aligns with this evidence. It does not try to scare young people away from the internet. It does not pretend that social media is all bad or all good. Instead, it equips young people with the mental tools they need to navigate complexity. It helps them build the confidence to question what they see, the wisdom to recognise manipulation, and the empathy to consider how their online actions affect others. The session at Tudapems Private School was just one hour in one school in one community, but it was part of a much larger movement to create a healthier digital culture.
As the event came to an end, the students received specially designed stickers with a message that would stay with them long after they left the hall: “My Voice Matters. So Does the Truth. Pause Before You Share.” It was a perfect summary of everything they had learned. The first part of the message affirmed their worth and their power. Their voices do matter, and they should not be silenced. The second part grounded that power in truth. A voice is only as strong as the truth it carries. And the third part was a simple call to action: pause before you share. It is a small act, but it has the potential to ripple outward, affecting not just the person who pauses but the entire community that might otherwise have received false information. The Minds for Impact Initiative, which organised the session, is itself an example of young people making a difference. It is a youth-led nonprofit that supports underserved communities through education, charitable interventions, and advocacy. Beyond its community work, it creates digital content, including awareness videos, to educate the public on important social issues such as health and development. The organisation understands that the fight against misinformation must be fought on multiple fronts: in schools, on social media, and in the wider culture. The visit to Tudapems Private School was one of many steps in a long journey. There will be more schools, more students, more conversations, and more reminders that truth matters. In a world where lies can circle the globe before truth gets its shoes on, the need for such work has never been greater. But there is reason for hope. The students who sat in that hall were not empty vessels waiting to be filled. They were already creators, commenters, and citizens of the digital world. They had energy, curiosity, and influence. By encouraging them to pause, to question, and to verify, TMI is not silencing them; it is helping them speak with wisdom. And that is a message worth sharing, one pause at a time.