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Australia's Social Media Ban for Minors Sparks Debate

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By Howard Chang/Irene Lin

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Australia will soon roll out the world’s first ban on social media platforms for children under the age of 16. Apart from polarizing views from parents, others say it will only push children toward other, more dangerous platforms and make them afraid to seek help when they’re in trouble online.

Suicide Warning:  

If you are in Taiwan and having thoughts about suicide, call Lifeline Taiwan International at 1995.

 

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Title: Australia Considers Social Media Ban for Teens Under 16

 

REPORTER:  

Australian Mia Bannister is still grieving the loss of her teenage son, Ollie. After enduring months of online bullying and suffering from anorexia, he took his own life. She’s chosen to commemorate him with tattoos.

 

Mia Bannister:  

I'm living my life for him, that reminds me why I'm here.

 

REPORTER:  

Bannister blames Ollie’s death squarely on social media. She is one of many in Australia voicing support for an upcoming ban on platforms like Facebook and TikTok for users younger than 16, the first in the world. She says if the government can’t hold platforms accountable for failing to stop the spread of harmful content, it should at least keep children from using them.

 

Mia Bannister:  

I can't bear seeing another suicide and child death due to online harms, and I'm sick of the social media giants shirking responsibility, because it is their platforms and the unfiltered, unchecked, I guess, content that is absolutely fueling it.

 

REPORTER:  

But not all parents in Australia agree on banning social media outright for young teens. Zoe Jones, whose 12-year-old Ava is an online influencer, says the government should not decide how people parent their own kids.

 

Zoe Jones:  

I would say they [social media platforms] are protecting [kids] as best as they can. I mean, they’re a platform, I’m her parent so I guess it’s my responsibility to protect her as best as I can in a matter when she’s on social media.

 

REPORTER:  

And she’s not the only one who thinks the ban is a brute approach to online safety. One expert warns parents might start letting their guard down about what their kids are engaging with online and that teens will find workarounds.

 

Expert:  

Say they get they experience online bullying, or they experience predators. How are they going to report that to police or parents? Because they weren't supposed to be on the social media platforms in the first place. So they had that fear of, like, what the repercussions of them being on those social media platforms are going to get them in trouble?

 

REPORTER:  

There have been conversations about social media regulations around the world. Back in October, lawmakers and NGOs in Taiwan were calling for legal measures to stop Tiktok from harvesting children’s personal data but a complete ban was out of question. And how platforms will identify user’s age remains a question.

 

Whether or not Australia’s ban would work or lead to more problems, the world will sure be watching.

 

Howard Chang and Irene Lin for TaiwanPlus.