SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Submission Preview
We know social media bans are unlikely to work. So how can we keep young people safe online?
A war has erupted around young people’s use social media and it is messy. In the United States, surgeon general Vivek Murthy has recommended [abc.net.au] cigarette packet-like warnings for platforms like Instagram to remind teens and parents social media “has not proved safe”.
In Australia, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says [theguardian.com] he would ban social media for those under 16 within 100 days, if the Coalition wins the next election. Announcing the policy, Dutton argued [abc.net.au] social media is to blame for “a high prevalence of many health conditions, issues around body image [and] bullying online”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also backs a ban [theguardian.com] “if it can be effective”. Meanwhile, Education Minister Jason Clare describes [canberratimes.com.au] social media as a “cesspit”.
Technology experts have already noted [theconversation.com] legal bans and age verification is very hard to enforce.
But we also need to view this from an a digital literacy perspective. A social media ban only delays young people’s exposure to these platforms, it does not help them to manage or learn anything. When they eventually start using these platforms, the same algorithms will still be at work, shaping their perceptions and behaviours.
If we want to keep children safe online, we need to approach this differently.
[...] A ban seems simple, but to really keep our kids safe online we need to do more complex work to reclaim control on social media. This is something the entire community needs to contribute to: schools, parents, governments and industry.
[Source]: The Conversation [theconversation.com]
[Also Covered By]: PHYS.ORG [phys.org]
