Australia Proposes Ban On Social Media For Those Under 16 (reuters.com)
(Wednesday November 06, 2024 @10:30PM (BeauHD)
from the go-touch-grass dept.)
- Reference: 0175420963
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/11/07/0019205/australia-proposes-ban-on-social-media-for-those-under-16
- Source link: https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/australia-proposes-ban-social-media-those-under-16-2024-11-06/
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters:
> Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday the government would [1]legislate for a ban on social media for children under 16 , a policy the government says is world-leading. "Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it," Albanese told a news conference. Legislation will be introduced into parliament this year, with the laws coming into effect 12 months after it is ratified by lawmakers, he added. There will be no exemptions for users who have parental consent.
>
> "The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access," Albanese said. "The onus won't be on parents or young people." Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said platforms impacted would include Meta Platforms' Instagram and Facebook, as well as Bytedance's TikTok and Elon Musk's X. Alphabet's YouTube would likely also fall within the scope of the legislation, she added.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/australia-proposes-ban-social-media-those-under-16-2024-11-06/
> Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday the government would [1]legislate for a ban on social media for children under 16 , a policy the government says is world-leading. "Social media is doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on it," Albanese told a news conference. Legislation will be introduced into parliament this year, with the laws coming into effect 12 months after it is ratified by lawmakers, he added. There will be no exemptions for users who have parental consent.
>
> "The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access," Albanese said. "The onus won't be on parents or young people." Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said platforms impacted would include Meta Platforms' Instagram and Facebook, as well as Bytedance's TikTok and Elon Musk's X. Alphabet's YouTube would likely also fall within the scope of the legislation, she added.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/australia-proposes-ban-social-media-those-under-16-2024-11-06/
Is Slashdot social media? (Score:1)
by Znarl ( 23283 )
What is social media? When is a site not social media? I imagine calling Reddit social media is reasonable. What's the difference between Slashdot and Reddit, besides the number of users?
Would a 16 year old be allowed to view Reddit to research topics but not be allowed to create an account or login?
Re: (Score:2)
by PPH ( 736903 )
> When is a site not social media?
4Chan. Antisocial media.
It won't work, but... (Score:2)
by johnsnails ( 1715452 )
it will give parents a reason to not give kids access to social media platforms for a bit longer and that doesn't sound like such a bad thing.
You know what else did harm to our kids? (Score:2)
The Beatles, Elvis dancing like a black man, comic books, Dungeons & Dragons, Ozzy Osborne.
Social media is the new moral panic for the post-boomer generations.
Re: (Score:2)
And there's damnably few (basically none) studies even attempting to find causation versus correlation, and many of those aren't finding that being on social media harms kids, but that harmed kids flock to social media as their only available avenue to find others when those in the guardian roles fail them.
And yes, I'm being specific in choosing my words to be as general as I meant to be, please don't try to waffle these rice-cooker pancakes.
Re: (Score:2)
Social media is not all that great for most adults - it's 'keeping up with the Joneses' except on crack and 24/7.
While I'm happy to look at studies to confirm or refute my suspicion, that suspicion is that it's worse for kids than adults as the kids have less experience and self-confidence when dealing with something that is designed to trigger your worst instincts in order to keep you engaged for the social media supplier's purposes.
Re: (Score:2)
> While I'm happy to look at studies to confirm or refute my suspicion, that suspicion is that it's worse for kids
Perhaps you're correct. But laws should not be based on "suspicions".
The burden of proof is on those proposing laws to control private behavior to show that the problem exists and is serious enough to warrant a legal remedy.
I am very skeptical.
Kids socialize. It's what they do.