Social media ban for children to be introduced in next 12 months

[dianalynch]

It’s worth a try…at least it helps parents who don’t want their kids to have socials, but the kids are all everyone else has it why can’t I? Because it’s against the law is a helpful reason for parents who are inclined to ban it for their kids. It won’t do much when parents are okay with it, but it doesn’t have to solve every problem to be helpful. 
 

I’ve read some quotes from academics saying it won’t help because we need long term structural change, education, the social media giants to be better regulated etc etc. Well sure, in a perfect world, but we don’t live in a perfect world, and we need at least some improvement now. Perfect is the enemy of the good. 

[pelagic]

Just now, Kiwi Bicycle said:

@pelagic unfortunately most parents are not tech savvy enough to use firewalls, blocking software etc.

My wifi is setup to industrial standard, but that's because my DH is in high level IT and we have an entire router box mounted near the roof of our garage with commercial grade routers etc in it and running commercial grade software. Plus we can afford that. I know my privilege in this but others have no idea or means to do so.

So buy a phone without the internet on it and put your computer in a public part of the house. 

[pelagic]

5 minutes ago, dianalynch said:

It’s worth a try…at least it helps parents who don’t want their kids to have socials, but the kids are all everyone else has it why can’t I? Because it’s against the law is a helpful reason for parents who are inclined to ban it for their kids. It won’t do much when parents are okay with it, but it doesn’t have to solve every problem to be helpful. 
 

I’ve read some quotes from academics saying it won’t help because we need long term structural change, education, the social media giants to be better regulated etc etc. Well sure, in a perfect world, but we don’t live in a perfect world, and we need at least some improvement now. Perfect is the enemy of the good. 

I actually have no problem with the ban. I'm horrified that so many parents just let their kids go online willy nilly. It's like taking your kids to Burning Man and then leaving them there alone. I have a problem with how it may be enforced. If it's about providing proof of identity all the time it's like insisting that everyone who wants to dance at a festival has a safe with children check because people might bring kids and also let their kids wander. 

Edited September 10 by pelagic

[dianalynch]

Just now, pelagic said:

I actually have no problem with the ban. I have a problem with how it may be enforced. 

I can see that, I personally don’t have that problem because it being against the law is enough for our family to comply.
 

I think politicians will be hoping to get at least some benefit from creating a deterrent. Enforcement is always tricky, I mean just look at ASIC they’re a complete joke, yet most people comply with their regulations…and then we’re left with the 10 or 20% who make hay because the enforcement is so  woeful. 

[LifesGood]

3 hours ago, STBG 2 said:

We are talking about children who are addicted. Good luck with that.

Surely its worth doing something to try to prevent future generations of kids developing the same addiction.

[STBG 2]

A ban that is not accompanied by a means to help parents actually make it happen is worthless. 
People saying “just take them away” must have super parenting skills or extremely unusual children. 
I hate that it is suggested it is a parenting fail. 

[STBG 2]

3 minutes ago, LifesGood said:

Surely its worth doing something to try to prevent future generations of kids developing the same addiction.

We need to deal with the present because how do you stop future generations if everyone they know is still using them? 
Try telling a younger sibling no when older sibling is.

Edited September 10 by STBG 2

[LifesGood]

6 minutes ago, pelagic said:

I actually have no problem with the ban. I'm horrified that so many parents just let their kids go online willy nilly. It's like taking your kids to Burning Man and then leaving them there alone. I have a problem with how it may be enforced. If it's about providing proof of identity all the time it's like insisting that everyone who wants to dance at a festival has a safe with children check because people might bring kids and also let their kids wander. 

It's absolutely fine to have questions about it, but we shouldn't disregard the improvement because it's not perfect. 

[LifesGood]

Just now, STBG 2 said:

We need to deal with the present right now. 

As well as implementing changes to prevent future problems. It's not a zero sum option.

[LifesGood]

This is why it's so difficult to make changes happen - too many naysayers who think it's too hard or not perfect therefore don't do it. Then nothing happens and the problems get worse. Black and white thinking.

I can't see what harm a ban would do, but I can see what potential good it could come from it.

[dianalynch]

I don’t think the government is suggesting it is a parenting fail, it is a whole of society fail. 

[Crombek]

10 minutes ago, pelagic said:

I actually have no problem with the ban. I'm horrified that so many parents just let their kids go online willy nilly. It's like taking your kids to Burning Man and then leaving them there alone. I have a problem with how it may be enforced. If it's about providing proof of identity all the time it's like insisting that everyone who wants to dance at a festival has a safe with children check because people might bring kids and also let their kids wander. 

I think perhaps people who have raised their kids might not grasp how different the social climate is for this generation.

The bulk of their socialising happens online. There are no home phones anymore, teens can't ring each other all afternoon while mum gets dinner ready. They don't often go to each other's houses, everyone's too busy. 

Pre-teens and teens without social media DO miss out. In very real ways. They don't develop the connections that the kids on social media do. They are shunned as weird. 

[dianalynch]

@LifesGood binary and zero sum thinking are my pet peeves too 

[pelagic]

When you hand your kid a fully connected tablet at age 8 and then go and mow the lawn for 2 hours, who else is responsible for it? 

[dianalynch]

Just now, Crombek said:

I think perhaps people who have raised their kids might not grasp how different the social climate is for this generation.

The bulk of their socialising happens online. There are no home phones anymore, teens can't ring each other all afternoon while mum gets dinner ready. They don't often go to each other's houses, everyone's too busy. 

Pre-teens and teens without social media DO miss out. In very real ways. They don't develop the connections that the kids on social media do. They are shunned as weird. 

We were recently talking with DS and DD about old school phones, with cords, and you wouldn’t know who was ringing or who would pick up if you called someone…and sometimes you had to talk to your friend’s parents. DD and DS were truly horrified. 

[Crombek]

1 minute ago, dianalynch said:

We were recently talking with DS and DD about old school phones, with cords, and you wouldn’t know who was ringing or who would pick up if you called someone…and sometimes you had to talk to your friend’s parents. DD and DS were truly horrified. 

And there was always that one friend that you made ring you because their parent was scary

[STBG 2]

13 minutes ago, LifesGood said:

This is why it's so difficult to make changes happen - too many naysayers who think it's too hard or not perfect therefore don't do it. Then nothing happens and the problems get worse. Black and white thinking.

I can't see what harm a ban would do, but I can see what potential good it could come from it.

I hate them, I am also very aware of what they have done to kids. 
Shutting the gate after the horse has bolted comes to mind here. 
I would love it if a ban worked but originally there was an age for kids to be on certain platforms, it didn’t work obviously. 
I have 10 grandchildren from 7 to nearly 15, I have a lot to do with them and their parents who are completely at a loss as to what to do. I see how much harm they cause and I have seen the reactions to trying to remove them.

Edited September 10 by STBG 2

[pelagic]

And the phone was in a public space and your parents could hear every word and it was annoying but fine. 

[null]

I won't be using social media once this ban comes in to place because I don't want to hand off my identity details to a 3rd party age verification site. 

I would also like to know what counts as social media? Discord? YouTube? All online forums? 

[pelagic]

I could accept a device based thing. Like, you can't register a device unless you are over 18. You can set up a device for your child and their age is registered against that device. You can also set up profiles on a device that have their own number. Or maybe you and your children are issued a number by the govt that you can access on MyGov. You can put that number into a social media platform and be allowed to access or not. The platform does not receive any information except that number, which can be checked against a list of banned numbers. Only banned numbers are retained by the government in a check list and used to check access. The age is registered against the number and the number is deleted from the banned list when the correct age is reached. No other identifying details are retained (except in the separate MyGov location or on the device). No checks against people who are the correct age are conducted. 

And if parents do set up fake numbers for their kids, we can stop pretending someone else made that possible.

Edited September 10 by pelagic

[Kiwi Bicycle]

6 minutes ago, pelagic said:

And the phone was in a public space and your parents could hear every word and it was annoying but fine. 

We had a long extension cord caddy on our landline, just took it into our bedroom and closed the door. Or you went to the pay phone down the road with a pocket of coins.

Thank goodness call waiting came into existence. Otherwise the phone would be tied up for hours.

[purplekitty]

I don't think a solution will be easy but we need to confront the issue or we will giving up our democracies and self determination without a fight.

The base of this issue is that huge, multinational corporations have monetised and exploited social media for financial gain ,and for some, political gain. They are more powerful and wealthier than some countries. That is enormous power in the hands of individuals. They answer to nobody.

Our children are collateral damage.

Let's at least try to make a start there.

 

If you think it is all pointless,tell us what to do.

[Ozgirl]

I thinks it's great something is being done. 

My niece and nephew are not in social media. Not even kids messenger...

They have iMessage and that's it. but their parents aren't really on it either. I wonder how my sister has a social life, let alone the kids .

I hope Charlies pre teen/teens are different because of this ban. 

[Romeo Void]

38 minutes ago, Kiwi Bicycle said:

@pelagic unfortunately most parents are not tech savvy enough to use firewalls, blocking software etc.

My wifi is setup to industrial standard, but that's because my DH is in high level IT and we have an entire router box mounted near the roof of our garage with commercial grade routers etc in it and running commercial grade software. Plus we can afford that. I know my privilege in this but others have no idea or means to do so.

Exactly, this isn't for those who can manage....it's for all those families where mum and dad aren't IT literate or the single mums who are exhausted and need the backing of this legislation to keep things in check at home.

[LifesGood]

20 minutes ago, STBG 2 said:

I hate them, I am also very aware of what they have done to kids. 
Shutting the gate after the horse has bolted comes to mind here. 
I would love it if a ban worked but originally there was an age for kids to be on certain platforms, it didn’t work obviously. 
I have 10 grandchildren from 7 to nearly 15, I have a lot to do with them and their parents who are completely at a loss as to what to do. I see how much harm they cause and I have seen the reactions to trying to remove them.

I don't understand why you would be against a legislated ban that may help prevent other kids and parents from going through this? The horse has only bolted for current generation of kids. They are going to try something different, not the same. Surely you care about trying to help future generations?