Unplugging our kids from social media might be a blessing in disguise
I’m not usually one for wanting the Government to rule the way we parent, but I gotta admit – I welcome this proposed social media ban.
How many times have you heard, or said, “I’m glad social media wasn’t around when I was a teenager!”
And it seems the government agrees that a “social media-free childhood” might just be the way to go, citing unregulated access to social media as a growing concern for the mental health of kids and teens.
As a mum of three – one adult, a 16-year-old, and a 12-year-old – social media has been a part of our lives since my eldest BEGGED me for Snapchat because, “everyone else has it – I’m the only one who doesn’t.” As we dove into the rabbit hole of Snapchat, I was shocked to discover how young some kids were, already plugged into the social media world. Fast forward seven years, and now my 12-year-old is on my case, being the Lone Ranger of his friendship group without social media #crymeariver.
Whether we like it or not, social media is here, and it’s here to stay. And that’s why I think it’s high time we start listening to the experts and understand the real impact social media has on young, developing brains.
Alongside this, we can’t ignore the horrifying stories and statistics we hear all too often, with young teens taking their lives because of relentless online bullying or being coerced into sending nude photos, only to have their worst fears realised when those images are threatened to be shared publicly.
We hear these stories, we see the headlines, we shake our heads and mutter, “That’s so sad,” and then continue with our day. But is that enough?
With talks heating up about the potential ban, parents have a lot to say and it’s mainly hope mixed with skepticism.
Questions have risen about how this ban would work and how it would be enforced. Kids can easily bypass age restrictions. And gaming, chat apps and even YouTube, can come with just as many risks as social media. So, will these be banned too?
For some parents who already have strict rules in place, the ban feels unnecessary and impractical. But they also recognise that bullying and inappropriate messages do happen. Despite their best efforts, apps like Snapchat are addictive – kids get hooked on “streaks” with older ones glued to their phones for hours.
Parents are also well aware that kids are clever enough to find workarounds and often just let you see what they want you to see. But if this legislation passes, which seems inevitable, the ban could at least give some parents an easier way to enforce boundaries with the “it’s the law” excuse.
To quote Gandhi (because, hey, why not), “A society is judged by how it treats its weakest members,” and for parents and those who support vulnerable kids, the ban could be a very welcomed change. The most vulnerable in society are often exploited in the worst ways, and predatory behaviour and grooming become all too easy when young people have unchecked access to the internet.
Maggie Dent, a parenting expert, says we need more than just a ban and I love this idea. Just because you turn a certain age doesn’t always mean you have the skills to negotiate the online world safely. She reckons kids should pass a digital licence before they can access apps and platforms. They’d need to prove they can identify harm, fake images, unhealthy messaging, and scammers (like sextortion and porn). They’d also need to know how to block, gather evidence, and report harmful behaviour – and Big Tech would have to act immediately. She argues this approach would involve comprehensive education for the whole family, not just the kids.
At the end of the day, we need to protect kids from a digital world they might not be ready to handle. Delaying their entry into the social media world buys time for their brains to mature before they make decisions that could come back to haunt them.
Only time will tell whether a ban will actually make a difference, and there will be a lot of work to do before it’s in place – giving the tech giants time to get all of their ducks in a row, because under the proposed changes, social media platforms will be responsible for blocking users under 16 – without penalising parents or children who break the rules.
Of course, this opens up a whole bag of worms around proof of age and privacy. I’m not so sure I want Mr. Zuckerberg and the TikTok gods having a copy of my proof of age documents – do you?
I’m starting to think it might be time for the indestructible Nokia 3310 to make its comeback!
