Meta Petitions Australia to Reconsider Social Media Ban

Does banning social media for under-16s protect kids from harm, or push them to more dangerous online spaces?

Published 3 days ago

Meta Petitions Australia to Reconsider Social Media Ban

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Above: Signage outside the Meta headquarters at Menlo Park in California, on Aug. 5, 2023. Image credit: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

Delaying social media accounts until age 16 protects children from harmful features, such as endless notifications and manipulative content, that damage sleep, attention and mental health. This breathing space enables young people to develop the necessary levels of critical thinking and resilience, before facing the pressures of the online world.

Anthony Albanese on X eSafety Commissioner

Government-critical narrative

Rather than making children safer, this ban is driving teenagers to less regulated and unmonitored corners of the internet, while isolating vulnerable youths from supportive online communities. Given this failure and the fact that children are already bypassing the restrictions with ease, the Australian government must consider adopting alternative solutions.

Mario Nawfal on X Meta