Australia bans social media for children
Australia has passed a law prohibiting all young people under the age of 16 from using social networks. The providers now have one year to introduce an effective age verification process, otherwise they will face fines. Similar steps are under consideration in Europe – prompting heated debate in the media.
Don't be enslaved by technology
Australia has taken the right decision, Göteborgs-Posten applauds:
“The problem lies not primarily in what is said, written and displayed on social media ... The main problem is that these platforms are deliberately designed to be highly addictive. ... We are simply becoming fat, stupid and depressed as a result of social media. ... We need to be clear about one thing: we are not slaves to technology. We have the power to steer developments onto a better, healthier and more analogue path. Australia has shown that it is possible to gain control over developments.”
More awareness instead of blanket bans
In Denmark too, measures aimed at limiting young people's screen time are being considered and implemented at both the local and national level. Berlingske calls for a well-considered approach:
“The right way forward is not nationwide legislative intervention that fails to take account of the fact that specific conditions may vary from place to place. ... At the same time, we must be open to the fact that the digital revolution has serious and dark sides that we have only just begun to recognise. However, that doesn't mean that screens are completely evil. ... It's good that the naivety that prevailed during the early phase of enthusiasm for digitalisation has come to an end. But we must not make a 180-degree turn.”
Setting minimum age at 13 makes more sense
The wrong age limit has been set, says the Neue Zürcher Zeitung:
“It's important to remain in dialogue with your own child, to engage with their world, to want to understand what is important to this young person. ... Such a dialogue is more likely to succeed if the child is younger than 16 and is not yet so keen to distance themself from their parents. That's why the minimum age of 13, which most social networks already require of their users, makes more sense. At 16, on the other hand, the child is in the middle of the detachment process from their parents and may no longer want any conversations about how to use media. ... Youths need real media education, not excessive bans.”
Age verification as a stumbling block
There is a gap between theory and practice in Europe, digital expert Borja Adsuara Varela explains in El País:
“The problem is the practical implementation of this ban, in other words, age verification. ... The EU's Digital Services Act states that 'providers of online platforms accessible to minors shall put in place appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure a high level of privacy, safety, and security'. ... This act has been fully applicable since 17 February, so fines of up to 6 percent of annual turnover can already be imposed. ... But this is not happening because there are still no reliable tools for age verification. ... The existing ones raise doubts about the protection of user rights, given that age verification cannot be carried out without accessing other personal data and the user's identity.”