Minister Babalanda Warns Youth Against Social Media Misuse, Calls for Moral Renewal
Minister urges Christians, especially youth, to use smartphones and social media to spread the Gospel and win souls.
IGANGA – Minister for the Presidency Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda has challenged Ugandan youth to abandon the misuse of social media and instead turn digital platforms into tools for promoting faith, morality and positive values.
Babalanda made the remarks yesterday at Iganga SDA Church while launching the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s “One Voice27 Mission For All, Hope Starts Here” digital evangelism programme.
She warned that while social media provides young people with opportunities to communicate and access information, it is also being misused through online exploitation, pornography, excessive entertainment and the spread of propaganda and false information.
The Minister urged Christians to make responsible use of their smartphones, saying digital platforms can serve as modern-day pulpits for reaching people with the Gospel.
“In this generation, most Ugandans hold smartphones, and they dedicate more time to them than TVs, radios and newspapers,” she said.
Babalanda encouraged believers to use their internet data to share messages that promote Christian values rather than content that she said contributes to moral decay.
“Instead of using data bundles online to sin, use data bundles to win souls,” she told the congregation.
She said the freedom of worship and freedom of expression enjoyed in Uganda should be accompanied by responsibility, particularly when using digital platforms.
According to Babalanda, the One Voice27 Mission provides an opportunity for churches to reach people who may not ordinarily attend physical worship services.
She called on parents, religious leaders and cultural leaders to work together in guiding young people on responsible use of social media and protecting them from harmful online content.
Babalanda also pledged her support for the SDA Church’s digital evangelism initiative, describing it as a timely response to the changing ways in which Ugandans communicate and consume information.
The launch brought together hundreds of SDA believers, youth leaders, church elders and community members in Iganga.
