Is Social Media the Bane of Children's Lives?

"By now, everyone will be aware that Australia has banned social media for all children under the age of 16. It is said that the ban is going to protect young people from the negative impact of social media, such as increased screen time and content that can harm their health and general well-being. As a mother of teenagers myself, I love the idea of the ban."

"The reality is that children are often two steps (at least) ahead of their parents when it comes to technology. Thus, it can be difficult for parents to make sure that their children are safe and don't engage with materials that they deem inappropriate. Just take WhatsApp as an example: Children on the app have the ability to 'hide' their chats so that parents can't see them - a feature, it seems, many parents are unaware of."

Australia implemented a ban on social media for children under 16 to reduce screen time and limit exposure to content that could harm health and well-being. Many children aged 8–14 spend three to four hours daily on devices; roughly 60% of teens use TikTok and Instagram and 55% use Snapchat daily. Children frequently outpace parents in technological knowledge, complicating parental oversight and enabling hidden chats. Extensive smartphone use and media multitasking associate with impulsivity and cognitive inflexibility, which can lower well-being, but the overall link between digital technology use and well-being remains unclear. Social media can also foster communication while harming attention span.

Read at Psychology Today