Young people who rely on information shared through social media are putting their personalities at risk, a conference in Bahrain has heard.

The seventh International Youth Conference, which opened on March 10 at the Crowne Plaza's Bahrain Conference Centre, featured speakers ranging from Bahrain News Agency acting general director Mohannad Sulaiman Al Noaimi to Kuwait Information Minister's office for youth affairs adviser Kamel Yahya Al Nabulsy, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Traffic Culture Directorate acting director Major Osama Bahar also spoke at the event, as part of a session named 'Where is the Youth's Behaviour Going?'

He said social media should not be used 'as a source of knowledge' because this puts users' 'knowledge, personality and principles' at risk.

“I know that there are many good posts but our sources should be books, researches and credible news sources,” he said.

“Most news on social media is incomplete and can lack key data while some people share pictures of incidents that did not even happen in Bahrain.”

The conference, organised by the General Organisation for Youth and Sport under the theme 'Media and Youth Culture', saw more than 500 participants from 28 countries including school and university students, media figures and social media personalities. - TradeArabia News Service