The Gurdaspur administration has started “Internet de-addiction” classes for school and college students with the twin objectives of weaning away youngsters from over-dependence on social media and encouraging them to use cyberspace in an ethical manner.The “Safer Internet Day”, observed on February 10, acted as a catalyst for this drive.The first class was held at Government Senior Secondary School for Boys today. It was supervised by the District Informatics Officer (DIO) Karan Soni. Nearly 150 students attended the lecture.These events have been named “cyber hygiene” sessions. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Aditya Uppal maintained that such sessions had been conceptualised because “Internet is often described as a modern crisis where sometimes technology leads to isolation, reduced productivity coupled with mental and physical strain”.DIO Soni said soon more government and private schools would be brought under the ambit.“There is a thing known as ‘Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD)’ which ruins lives by causing neurological complications, psychological disturbances and social problems. We are trying to make sure children do not catch the IAD,” he opined.Soni added that total abstinence from the Internet should not be the goal, but controlled and balanced usage should be achieved. “When their wards show signs of the IAD, parents should immediately take preventive measures,” he said.“While the Internet serves as a powerful educational tool, it also exposes young minds to various types of cyber risks, including those related to financial transactions. However, these hazards can be reduced substantially by adopting proactive safety measures and responsible online behaviour,” said a computer teacher.