100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

Jane Stephens: dial up more control over when kids are exposed to social media

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

Artists, kids collaborate in record-breaking public art project

An interactive mosaic tile chair containing sound files that ‘speak’ of the Kabi Kabi peoples’ history and culture, and the local ecology, is a More

Teen boys charged after alleged fire extinguisher attack

Two teenage boys have been charged following investigations after a fire extinguisher was allegedly sprayed into a vehicle at Sippy Downs. It will be alleged More

Your say: pet resort, island repair and more

Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb More

Wildlife advocate receives top community award

A conservationist who has rescued countless native animals and raised vital funds for wildlife care and habitat protection has received one of the region's More

Seven charged with 105 drug-related offences

Seven people have been charged with 105 offences linked to drug trafficking and supply as part of a sweeping police operation in an area More

Tyred and tested: pothole saga leaves driver deflated

A resident in a Sunshine Coast estate claims the local council ignored his plea to fix a giant pothole before he blew out a More

At 18, you get to vote and drink alcohol.

At 17, you get to drive a car on your own.

And if a growing movement gets its way, at age 14, you might get to have a phone.

That is not a typo. Fourteen. Year 8 – many years later than most kids today, with many digitally booting up well before the end of Primary school.

Noises are getting louder that those parents who have buckled under the pressure and hooked their kids up have possibly consigned them to other things too: addiction, poor self-esteem, physical ill-health and lousy sleep habits.

Former Facebook (Meta) senior manager Frances Haugen, who turned whistleblower and leaked thousands of documents exposing the inner workings of her employer, says mental and physical illness are collateral damage for platforms whose weapons are algorithms and notifications and whose eyes are fixed solely on the almighty dollar.

They knew what they were doing caused harm and did it anyway, she says.

Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.

While in Australia for a security conference, Haugen warned that we are lagging behind other countries in combating social media harms.

In the US, a growing number of schools make ‘wait for 8’ pledges that means kids cannot have phones until Year 8.

Many children have access to social media. Picture: Shutterstock.

Last week, the Florida Governor signed in laws banning children under 14 from having social media accounts, even if their parents consented.

The nation’s state premiers are all for the federal government wresting back control, uniting to sing from the same song sheet last week.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles says social media companies have no regard and no responsibility for the material posted or the consequences of it.

And when that means criminals have a place to boast about their exploits and children are being sickened by the high-volume, low-nutrient drivel that flows on their feed, something must be done, he says.

But what?

Put a speedbump in the information superhighway? Issue fines to social media platforms for allowing treachery and naughtiness? Retrofit laws to thwart the algorithms?

It has all been tried before and found wanting.

Too bad the horse bolted a generation ago.

But we must explore ways to claw back some control, for the sake of the children.

Dr Jane Stephens is a UniSC journalism lecturer, media commentator and writer.

 

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share