This week we discuss the Australian Government's plan to make 16 the minimum age to access social media.

The plan has broad political support and resonates with many concerned parents, but there's more to it than meets the eye.

We discuss the specifics of how the ban will be implemented (with key elements not yet solved and potentially problematic), and interrogate the underlying philosophical approach of banning social media for kids rather than seeking to make the platforms less harmful for everyone.

Links:

PM media release on ban https://www.pm.gov.au/media/minimum-age-social-media-access-protect-australian-kids

Article about parliamentary inquiry into social media (Guardian) Australian parliamentary inquiry stops short of backing social media ban for under-16s https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/nov/18/australian-parliamentary-inquiry-stops-short-of-backing-social-media-ban-for-under-16s

Open letter from researchers arguing against the ban https://au.reset.tech/uploads/ACRT-Open-letter-re-social-media-bans.pdf

Article about eSafety Commissioner's lack of public support (Crikey) https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/11/19/teen-social-media-ban-esafety-commissioner-julie-inman-grant/#:~:text=When%20Prime%20Minister%20Anthony%20Albanese,in%20rolling%20out%20the%20ban.

Credits:
Editing and post-production by Martin Franklin (East Coast Studio) eastcoaststudio.com.au
Music by Bensound.com