In one word, the answer is yes. The long answer takes at least 1,000 words, so buckle in.
Briefly, the internet has a myriad of well-established cultural, social, behavioral and cognitive effects, from the erosion of Filipino languages and cultural values to social isolation and shortened attention spans.
These effects are well studied and documented: Since the mid-1990s, there literally have been thousands of refereed journal articles published in more than 100 different academic journals, and consensus has emerged on major findings.
The internet arrived in the Philippines in 1994 but did not become generally available until early in 2010, when Facebook Zero was introduced by mobile network providers. Subsequently, the rate of adoption has been stunning: The Philippines went “from zero to sixty” in record time, and today about 97.5 million Filipinos use the internet, a penetration of 83 percent.
Even more extraordinary is that Filipinos spend more time every day on the internet than almost any other population.
According to research firms, the Philippines ranks No. 3 worldwide on measures of personal time on the internet, with almost 9 hours online per user per day. The only countries with more are South Africa, with 9 hours and 37 minutes, and Brazil, with 9 hours and 9 minutes.
By contrast, Japanese people spend an average of 3 hours and 45 minutes online per user per day.
In short, the internet is here in a big way, and it suffuses every aspect of daily life. If the internet has any effects, they can be found here in the archipelago.
Beginning with effects from cultural studies, Filipino scholars are concerned about the dominance of English online. This reinforces the use of English among Filipinos, especially the young.
In “The Visayan Drift to English Language in the Social Media”, Jake C. Malon of Bohol Island State University notes the emergence of a distinct form of what he termed Visayan English due largely to internet use.
Regional languages — Bikol, Cebuano, Ilocano, and Kapampangan, for example — risk being overshadowed as speakers shift toward English, which is useful for digital communication.
As for the Filipino identity, some 15 million people in the Filipino overseas diaspora use the internet to connect with friends and family. While this strengthens ties, it also creates hybrid identities that blur distinctions between regional Filipino identities and host-country identities.
Scholars call this “cultural homogenization”. Global platforms like TikTok and YouTube push American and Korean trends, which marginalize local traditions, practices, and aesthetics, says A.J. Garchitorena, an authority on pop culture at the University of the Philippines.
Filipino values like “bayanihan”, or community spirit, are overshadowed by the internet’s emphasis on personal branding, self-promotion, and influencer culture, scholars say.
Online anonymity also fosters disrespect and cyberbullying, eroding “pakikipagkapwa” — empathy and shared identity with others, says Philippine scholar Roselyn P. Santos.
Santos’ article “The Effects of Social Media on Filipino Culture and Behavior” reports that increased reliance on digital communication results in diminished interpersonal interaction, rapid spread of misinformation, and exposure to online harm, including scams and identity theft.
Just this year, Amnesty International reported a “chilling effect” of online harassment in the Philippines. State-sponsored online harassment, especially red-tagging of young activists, has led to self-censorship, psychological distress, and the undermining of civic engagement.
A study in the International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science titled “Digital Identity and Linguistic Play: A study of Filipino TikTok slang among Generation Z” discusses how Filipino youth use slang from social media — for example, “lodi,” which is “idol” spelled backwards, and “besh” or “beshi”, for best friend — to construct digital identity and a sense of belonging.
Moving from cultural studies to empirical research, one discovers that excessive amount of time on the internet, termed “problematic internet use”, has been extensively studied. Meta-analyses and reviews reveal a mix of negative effects regardless of age or gender.
For example, a meta-analysis of 40 studies involving 2,922 participants found significant impairments in control of inhibitions, decision-making, and working memory.
Heavy use also exacerbates attention deficit disorder. Multitasking with devices reportedly lowers task efficiency and memory retention.
Scientists say overreliance on search engines contributes to “digital dementia,” impairing long-term recall and spatial memory. In a report by the National Institutes of Health in the United States, brain scans reveal reduced gray matter in regions like the hippocampus, responsible for the formation of new memories. Critical thinking also suffers, with distractions linked to lower grades in school and reading comprehension.
Brain scans also reveal that heavy internet use reduces prefrontal cortex density, and this is believed to foster addictions and loss of self-control. Heavy use also correlates with increased depression, anxiety, and sleep disruption. A meta-analysis reports a slight negative effect on life satisfaction and self-esteem.
Long term studies published by the NIH report that social media cause depression in adolescents in fear of “missing out”. Impulsivity rises with heavy internet use, leading to “novelty seeking” and a need for instant gratification. Many studies report that screen time among youth is associated with attention deficit disorder and poor academic performance.
Generally, heavy internet use also increases social isolation. A meta-analysis of 32 studies with 35,623 respondents found a moderate positive correlation between loneliness and internet addiction, which is stronger in females, adults, and university students.
Heavy use is correlated as well to reduced social skills and loss of empathy. Body image and “Facebook envy” from comparisons heighten feelings of inadequacy, particularly among young women.
So, while the internet has its positive side — ease in shopping, maintaining contacts with friends and relatives, entertainment, and access to information — problematic internet use results in a mix of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, loneliness, low self esteem, attention deficits, and impulsive behaviors.
Bryce McIntyre, PhD, resides San Andres. He holds a doctoral degree from Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA.