Australia bans under 16's from Social Media

[Pattaya57]

So Australia just passed into law that children under 16 will be banned from using Social Media

 

https://www.news.com.au/technology/australias-senate-approves-worlds-strictest-social-media-ban-for-children-and-teens/news-story/db73e16094f683af8731e3ab0949ea9c

 

[Pattaya57]

I still have a lot of resentment over Australia banning it's Citizen's from travelling overseas for nearly 2 years during Covid.

 

So now with this social media ban I feel Australia has become way too controlling of it's Citizens this decade. Surely it's the Parents who should decide what access (if any) their child has to Social Media, not the Government?

 

[brewsterbudgen]

Crazy country!  

[mdr224]

3 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Crazy country!  

Well i agree with this actually, i hope they do this in USA. would save me the trouble of explaining to my children why i wont buy them a smartphone

[G Rex]

Part of the reason I left Australia was to escape the 'Nanny State'.  The laws and rules are too pervasive. You need a certificate or a permit to do anything. 

Thailand feels like Australia was 50 years ago - and that is not such a bad thing.   

 

This social media ban for under 16s (if passed by the Lower House) is not slated to take effect until the end of 2025 - a lot can happen between now and then.

My children and step-children were on FB from the age of 8 - even though at the time they had to be 12 years old to sign up.  There will be easy work-arounds - however the huge fines aimed at the platforms might make this ban work.

I am not a great fan of social media - but I think the Australian Government is going too far with this...

[Pattaya57]

Another part of this is that all existing users will need to provide proof that we're over 16. No way I'm providing social media platforms with my drivers licence or passport

 

Maybe I need to close my Facebook I opened in Australia and open a new account from Thailand 😆 

[brewsterbudgen]

2 hours ago, mdr224 said:

Well i agree with this actually, i hope they do this in USA. would save me the trouble of explaining to my children why i wont buy them a smartphone

 

Your choice.  It depends on how old your children are!  A smartphone or a tablet is pretty essential these days and I don't need the nanny state to tell me what my child can/cannot do.  In any case, the new law is not about smartphones, it's about joining social media sites like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and X/Twitter.

[Pattaya57]

Actually isn't this new law pointless and unenforceable? Surely Aussie kids just need a VPN so they can sign themselves up to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as an American or English child 😆 

[KhunHeineken]

On 11/29/2024 at 2:39 AM, Pattaya57 said:

Surely it's the Parents who should decide what access (if any) their child has to Social Media, not the Government?

Would that be the same parents that deny their children access to drugs, thus, a life of crime and incarceration? 

 

You are very naive. 

[KhunHeineken]

On 11/29/2024 at 3:42 AM, G Rex said:

Part of the reason I left Australia was to escape the 'Nanny State'.  The laws and rules are too pervasive. You need a certificate or a permit to do anything. 

Thailand feels like Australia was 50 years ago - and that is not such a bad thing.   

 

This social media ban for under 16s (if passed by the Lower House) is not slated to take effect until the end of 2025 - a lot can happen between now and then.

My children and step-children were on FB from the age of 8 - even though at the time they had to be 12 years old to sign up.  There will be easy work-arounds - however the huge fines aimed at the platforms might make this ban work.

I am not a great fan of social media - but I think the Australian Government is going too far with this...

https://psychology.org.au/about-us/news-and-media/aps-in-the-media/2024/australian-teens-trapped-by-social-media-apps-as-t

 

Are you a qualified psychologist?