"Common advice like limiting individual youth access to screens, or asking parents to keep tabs on their children's every digital movement is not only impossible, but for adolescents in particular, potentially invasive, Schleider said. Instead, the AAP is putting more emphasis on the structural responsibility of companies and society, Schleider said. Their statement recommends regulations that limit overt, sexualized, commercialised, or harmful content to youth, including algorithms that send teens and children down rabbit holes with damaging themes."
"This guidance is also more nuanced than recent moves towards outright social media bans for certain age groups. Last month, Australia imposed a ban on all social media accounts for youth under 16. Schleider says the ban is very unfortunate because while social media platforms are indeed designed in a harmful way, bans do nothing to make those platforms safer. Social media is the first and often only place that young people seek out help and support, and cutting that off immediately with no warning has really adverse consequences, she said."
The AAP guidance emphasizes systemic changes and parental engagement beyond limiting screen time to protect children's mental health in the digital age. The guidance shifts safety responsibility toward companies and society, recommending regulations to limit overt, sexualized, commercialised, or harmful content and algorithms that push damaging themes. Conventional advice that asks parents to strictly limit access or monitor every digital movement is impossible and potentially invasive for adolescents. Outright social media bans, such as Australia's under-16 ban, remove access to peer support and help, creating adverse consequences. Research shows youth more often access treatment where parental consent is not required, supporting teen autonomy.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]