US EditionColumn: Australia just banned kids from social media. Shouldn't we all?
Australia's ban aims to curb youth mental health risks linked to social media use; tech firms oppose, citing free speech and potential migration to unsafe platforms.
- Last week, Australia enacted a national ban on social media for children under 16, targeting major platforms including Meta/Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, Discord, YouTube, Reddit and Roblox.
- Supporters say the move protects young people's wellbeing from engagement-driven design, citing research linking heavy social-media use to depression, anxiety, loneliness and suicidal ideation.
- Last month, a Los Angeles County mother sued Roblox and Discord after alleging her daughter met an adult posing as a teenager and was groomed, while research links platforms to self-harm, eating disorders, and fentanyl harms.
- Tech firms fought the law and are already challenging it in court, with Reddit filing a legal challenge while parents and plaintiffs allege harm in numerous court filings and lawsuits.
- The move is prompting governments and states to weigh similar limits, with Denmark poised to ban under-15s and French officials recommending bans and curfews.
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18 Articles
Australia’s Social Media Ban Was Pushed By Ad Agency Focused On Gambling Ads It Didn’t Want Banned
We’ve talked about the Australian social media ban that went into effect last week, how dumb it is, and why it’s already a mess. But late last week, some additional news broke that makes the whole thing even more grotesque: turns out the campaign pushing hardest for the ban was run by an ad agency…
Evidence about depression, cyberbullying, and youth suicide explains the measure; in Mexico, the debate is not yet beginning.It may be thought that the ban on the use of digital social networks to children under 16 years of age in Australia has mainly to do with the addictive component of instant notifications such as likes, comments, or sharing.However, there is something even more risky: the constant comparison, cyberbullying, the cyberbullyin…
After the social media ban for under 16-year-olds in Australia, politicians in Germany are also calling for a ban on platforms such as TikTok for young people and an age limit for use. Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) said the "Image" newspaper of Monday: "Those who keep their eyes closed are deliberately endangering the future for us...
My tween kept asking to chat with her friends online. Now, in Australia, I can just say, 'it's against the law.'
Leon Spencer, an Australian dad, is glad that the Australian government's new ban will help him keep his kids off social media.Provided by Leon SpencerLeon Spencer is an Australian dad with an 11-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son.He creates content for social-media platforms and is glad that the new ban will help him keep his kids off them.He believes real-world engagement is an essential part of growing up.The number of times my 11-year-o…
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