Australia intends to prohibit the use of online platforms for minors and adolescents.
Politician Albanese labeled the influence of platforms like Instagram on kids as a "problem." He suggested increasing the age requirement to motivate kids to leave their digital gadgets and engage in "playgrounds, swimming pools, and tennis courts." He expressed his belief that children should engage in real-life interactions due to the potential negative effects of social media.
Albanese's preferred age limit is 16, as he mentioned in various interviews discussing his plan. This year, a trial for implementing and enforcing this new rule will be conducted using a verification system for age determination in the ensuing months.
Conservative opposition leader Peter Dutton also endorsed the idea, stating, "As children grow older, they become more susceptible to social media risks."
However, experts cautioned against implementing an age limit, asserting it would not help underprivileged children and that the proposal was premature, as a parliamentary report on the influence of digital networks on Australian society is yet to be published. Daniel Angus, director of the Digital Media Research Centre at Queensland University of Technology, voiced concerns about the law potentially causing "harm by preventing young people from participating in a meaningful, healthy digital world." Children might resort to less regulated online platforms, he added.
"Social media is a significant part of young people's lives," Samantha Schulz, an educational sociologist at the University of Adelaide, stated. While regulations are necessary, banning young people from using social media misses the point. The more pressing issue is to "regulate irresponsible social media platforms."
Furthermore, it's uncertain if there are viable methods to implement such a ban. Toby Murray, adjunct professor of informatics and information technology at the University of Melbourne, remarked, "We already understand that existing age verification techniques are unreliable, can be bypassed, or infringe on user privacy."
Albanese emphasized parents' expectations for political intervention against online bullying and harmful content. "These tech companies believe they're superior to everyone else," he said in a radio interview. "They have a responsibility towards society, and they're not living up to it. We intend to ensure they do."
I'm not going to support a blanket ban on social media for children due to the unreliable age verification techniques and potential infringement on user privacy. Instead, we should focus on regulating irresponsible social media platforms.
As the debate around social media's impact on children continues, I'm not convinced that increasing the age requirement is the only solution, given the potential negative consequences it might have for young people's digital engagement.
