Should we ban kids from social media?
Australia plans social media ban for under-16s
Australia's government says it will introduce "world-leading" legislation to ban children under 16 from social media.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the proposed laws, to be tabled in parliament next week, were aimed at mitigating the "harm" social media was inflicting on Australian children.
"This one is for the mums and dads... They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online. I want Australian families to know that the government has your back," he said.
While many of the details are yet to be debated, the government said the ban would apply to young people already on social media.
There will be no exemptions on the age limit for children who have consent from their parents. The government says that the onus would be on social media platforms to show they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access.
Albanese said there would be no penalties for users, and that it would be up to Australia's online regulator - the eSafety Commissioner - to enforce the laws.
The legislation would come into force 12 months after it passes and be subject to a review after it's in place.
While most experts agree that social media platforms can harm the mental health of adolescents, many are split over the efficacy of trying to outlaw them all together.
Some experts argue that bans only delay young people's exposure to apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, instead of teaching them how to navigate complex online spaces.
Previous attempts at restricting access, including by the European Union, have largely failed or faced backlash from tech firms. And questions remain over how implementation would work given there are tools which can circumvent age-verification requirements.
One of Australia's largest advocacy groups for child rights has criticised the proposed ban as "too blunt an instrument".
In an open letter sent to the government in October, signed by over 100 academics and 20 civil society organisations, the Australian Child Rights Taskforce called on Albanese to instead look at imposing "safety standards" on social media platforms.
The group also pointed to UN advice that "national policies" designed to regulate online spaces "should be aimed at providing children with the opportunity to benefit from engaging with the digital environment and ensuring their safe access to it".
But other grassroots campaigners have lobbied Australia's government for the laws, saying bans are needed to protect children from harmful content, misinformation, bullying and other social pressures.
A petition by the 36Months initiative, which has over 125,000 signatures, argues children are "not yet ready to navigate online social networks safely" until at least 16, and that currently "excessive social media use is rewiring young brains within a critical window of psychological development, causing an epidemic of mental illness".
When asked whether there should be broader efforts to educate children about how to navigate the benefits and risks of being online, Albanese said that such an approach would be insufficient because it "assumes an equal power relationship".
"I don't know about you, but I get things *popping up on my system that I don't want to see. Let alone a vulnerable 14-year-old," he told reporters on Thursday.
"These tech companies are incredibly powerful. These apps have algorithms that drive people towards certain behaviour."
*Phrasal Verb
"I get things popping up on my system that I don't want to see." - appearing suddenly or unexpectedly (e.g. on a computer screen, things such as ads or notifications)
- A notification popped up on my phone reminding me about the meeting.
- I'm just popping to the shop for some bread and milk.
- Pop in for a coffee if you are ever in the neighbourhood. (visit my place)
- I need to pop by the office later to pick something up.
- Why don't you pop over tonight and we can talk about it then?
- I'm just popping out. I'll be right back.
Listen to these conversations from Six-Minute English. Take a note of any interesting words and expressions:
Comments
Mr. Albanese must have children and when a problem concerns personally, people worry with more enthusiasm. In my case, I have grandchildren and I would not like that they could navigate through social media, at least up to 16. I imagine that the bestie could be addict -it often happens- and he will show harmful contents to them. I hope this nightmare doesn´t rush soon, because my grandchildren have a lot of onus, at the moment.
This is a sample how difficult education is. People said that it´s necessary to know nothing to educate, but it´s wrong. After my experience of educating two children, I know that this is not easy. Sometimes, you don´t know what to do.
See you.
I hope you enjoyed your Christmas with your family. I had a really nice day.
So you will not be giving anything technological to your granddaughters until they are sixteen? I bet their parents will. As far as I understand, the Australian government is not proposing a ban on teens having a mobile or computer. It simply wants to prevent them from accessing social media sites. I don't know how such a law would work in practice. No doubt there would be a way around the ban. I think it is up to the parents to keep an eye on what their children are doing online.
This issue is new to me because, when I was a teenager, there were no computers, mobile phones, or smartphones. I think social media should be banned for adolescents, specifically those aged 10–16, not 10–19 as mentioned in Six Minute English. The article makes reasonable points, although we haven't heard the children’s opinions. Australian PM Albanese (it seems like a joke) said there would be no penalties for users, but I wonder how compliance with the law will be monitored.
Mr. Albanese must have children, and when a problem affects someone personally, people tend to be more enthusiastic about addressing it. In my case, I have grandchildren, and I wouldn’t want them to use social media, at least until they are 16. I imagine that their best friend could become addicted—it often happens—and show them harmful content. I hope this nightmare doesn’t start any time soon because my grandchildren already have a lot of responsibilities.
This is an example of how difficult raising a family is. People often say that it requires little to educate, but this is wrong. Based on my experience bringing up two children, I know it’s not easy. Sometimes, you simply don’t know what to do.
Clarity and Grammar:
The main ideas are clear, but some sentences are grammatically incorrect or awkwardly phrased. For example, "there wasnot computer" should be "there were no computers." Encourage them to pay attention to subject-verb agreement and article usage.
Tone and Structure:
The tone is conversational, which is appropriate for a blog comment. However, the structure could be improved by organizing thoughts more clearly. For instance, the paragraph discussing Mr. Albanese could be expanded with examples or evidence to make it more impactful.
Use of Evidence and Examples:
They refer to Six Minute English and mention PM Albanese’s stance. This is a good start, but they should elaborate more on these references, such as summarizing key points from the article or explaining why they find Albanese’s statement problematic.
Vocabulary:
Words like “onus” and “navigate” show a good vocabulary range, but some phrases, such as “It seems a joke,” could be refined to “It seems like a joke.”
Engagement:
Their personal experiences and concerns about their grandchildren add a relatable and authentic touch. Encourage them to connect these anecdotes more directly to the broader topic to strengthen their argument.
Suggestion for Improvement:
They could benefit from proofreading their work to catch errors like "althought" instead of "although" or "bestie" instead of "best friend." Encourage them to read their writing aloud to identify awkward phrasing or mistakes.
Overall, they are engaging well with the topic, and with some refinements in grammar and structure, their writing will be much stronger.