- by Peter Farmer
- The Guardian
- Issue #2116
Photo: howtostartablogonline.net – flickr.com (CC BY 2.0)
The Federal government is planning to introduce a minimum age restriction for social media platforms to prevent harm, but many people who seem to know what they’re talking about are opposed.
Lisa Given, Professor of Information Sciences at RMIT university has said that the calls for a ban are “premature and not supported by clear evidence.”
Given argues that children “need to gain the necessary skills to navigate online worlds – including social media” and banning them from these platforms is “not the solution.”
Given instead says that parents and teachers need to support children to develop “technical and information literacy” around social media platforms. Adult support is also critical if a child is navigating harmful behaviour online such as cyber-bullying.
Given points to possible harmful consequences of a ban. For one thing young people may find ways to get around bans and be less likely to tell teachers or parents if they run into harmful content online.
Another issue on a lot of people’s minds is the technical aspect. Given says that “strategies of age assurance are easily circumvented by users, while strategies for verifying age raise data privacy concerns.”
Others have pointed to the possibility of children missing out on the positive side of social media. Dr Dana McKay, also of RMIT, calls a social media ban for children “a blunt instrument that ignores the social benefits children get from having direct communication with their friends.” It’s also been pointed out that social media, like the internet in general, can help isolated people to ‘find their tribe.’ If you’re the only person in your town, state or country with a particular interest, social media can help you find others with the same interest.
McKay points out that social media helps children to maintain connections with distant friends and loved ones that would otherwise be impossible, and calls the ban “a blunt instrument that ignores the social benefits children get from having direct communication with their friends.”
She believes that the risks inherent to social media could be addressed “by regulating social media rather than children,” and gives the examples of minimising advertising and using behavioural analytics to address harmful interactions.
