From today anyone in Australia below the age of 16 won't have access to 10 social media sites, including TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Reddit.
Understandably, those affected are upset, though they are well aware that a lot of content on social media that draw their attention and have them hooked on to the platform are harmful in so many ways.
How will it play out?
Read my thoughts on this first-in-the-world intiative here.
A good and bold initiative from Australia.Other counties should likewise muster the courage and determination to restrain such social media sites as pointed out in the post from making such toxic programmes available for viewing by children under 16.
ReplyDeleteHi KP - Yes, it might not be a perfect solution. But definitely a positive move.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteA good article, Pradeep, and very much something that needs to be discussed much more widely. In some respects, social media of the sort that is being curtail, might be considered akin to alchohol, tobacco, and drugs... warnings and hurdles must be there to discourage, but ultimately, the individual must take responsbility for the effect upon their lives - and, perhaps, the lives of those around them... YAM xx
It could help protect kids from harmful content, reduce cyberbullying, and improve mental health by limiting exposure to addictive platforms. But we have to be careful because it could push kids toward unregulated or harder-to-monitor online spaces.
ReplyDeleteYour article is very well written. ~nods~ Unfortunately, I couldn't leave a comment praising it. I think it's very telling that Silicone Valley CEOs reportedly don't even allow their children to carry smart phones (!) and am even more grateful to have grown up in the seventies and eighties. Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteI saw this on the news yesterday. It's a good idea, but the teens hate it, I'm sure. I wonder how many of them are going to lie about their age to try to circumnavigate the ban.
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