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Original poster

Those that are Omg about social media,

82 replies

PenelopeJoanSterling · 16/06/2026 17:11

Long before time there was things called books and librarys, and a thing called reading fever which is akin in someway to social media addiction but for when books were first released i believe it was , i guess my point is why are some news articles saying about omg how will people handle not having social media, but then why not just go back to books ? afterall society was not built with modern internet

OP posts:
Original poster
PenelopeJoanSterling · 16/06/2026 20:38

Cobrakainerd · 16/06/2026 20:32

'Books, like TV for smart people ' quote from Walk in the Woods...I guess add Internet for modern audience.

"The internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had."
— Eric Schmidt

OP posts:
Cobrakainerd · 16/06/2026 20:32

'Books, like TV for smart people ' quote from Walk in the Woods...I guess add Internet for modern audience.

Theolittle · 16/06/2026 20:22

MrSchubertWhiskers · 16/06/2026 19:51

Well, a couple of points:

No, I don't trust many sites and I won't trust social media sites. I value my anonymity.

I'm careful which companies I share my address, name, credit card and dob with - and nothing has my biometric data

It's a way for govt to force through digital ID infrastructure and its use will rapidly expand.

Show quote history

It’s the way the world is going…

Theolittle · 16/06/2026 20:16

user1476613140 · 16/06/2026 18:00

VPNs. How can they police those?

They can’t. But changing the law sends out a clear message and will hugely reduce the numbers of children using SM, and gives parents the backing to enforce without seeming unreasonable.

Dontlletmedownbruce · 16/06/2026 19:58

When the Internet became a thing, before social media, there were reports that the online world was good for reading. Prior to this Tv was accessible 24/7, often absolute rubbish. I remember talk of how it was making kids stupid because it was passive. I don't think there will be a huge shift back to reading but there will be some.

There will be more mainstream TV watching. I also predict there will be mainstream TV channels that will now broadcast videos of kids opening gifts or teenagers doing challenges, or 'get ready with me' videos YouTube style. Its supply demand isnt it. But at least it won't be targeted specifically at the user and feeding an algorithm.

MrSchubertWhiskers · 16/06/2026 19:51

Theolittle · 16/06/2026 19:03

I don’t really get the issue about private data, in this day and age loads of companies have your data. If you trust the website, give it, if not, don’t

Show quote history

Well, a couple of points:

No, I don't trust many sites and I won't trust social media sites. I value my anonymity.

I'm careful which companies I share my address, name, credit card and dob with - and nothing has my biometric data

It's a way for govt to force through digital ID infrastructure and its use will rapidly expand.

SplendidUtterly · 16/06/2026 19:14

user1476613140 · 16/06/2026 18:00

VPNs. How can they police those?

I keep telling people this but they won't listen.

Theolittle · 16/06/2026 19:03

MrSchubertWhiskers · 16/06/2026 18:46

I back banning social media for children in principle but not when it requires us all to individually hand over our private data.

I also agree that not relying on social media for entertainment would be great for children and teenagers - yes in many ways it would be great to return to the halcyon pre-digital days...But, we are so digitised & underfunded as a society now that it wouldn't be a problem-free transition.

I don’t really get the issue about private data, in this day and age loads of companies have your data. If you trust the website, give it, if not, don’t

Jumpingthruhoops · 16/06/2026 19:03

BellatrixpureBlood · 16/06/2026 17:15

I’m not worried about the lack of social media, I don’t think it’s needed for children. But I am a parent and I can decide that for my own kids

This is also a sneaky back way in for digital ID

Edited

Exactly. As if the government are doing this to protect children!? No, for this scheme to work, it'll be up to everyone else to prove they are not a child...

RudePhthaloDalmadoodle · 16/06/2026 19:01

LuckyHazelFox · 16/06/2026 17:20

Meanwhile, the Russians are firing warning shots at British civilians ships. Priorities arse about face Starmer and his makeshift half a job schemes.

Mibbe he's one of those rare humans who can prioritise and work on two or more things at once - especially if one of them is already done and dusted and is now "making news" well after the fact.

misstenniscoach · 16/06/2026 18:59

plims · 16/06/2026 18:05

I’m not saying you should never use ‘omg’, but it is said usually a response or reaction to something. What I am querying is what it means when you say a person is being omg.

I presume OP means parents who are going "OMG" about the social media ban, that they're shocked, upset, or annoyed by it. I could be wrong, though.

Theolittle · 16/06/2026 18:57

LuckyHazelFox · 16/06/2026 17:20

Meanwhile, the Russians are firing warning shots at British civilians ships. Priorities arse about face Starmer and his makeshift half a job schemes.

From what’s known at the moment this seems to be a standard type of warning as the yacht was drifting close to the Russian warship, nothing to do with Starmer's priorities

waitinginwonderland · 16/06/2026 18:52

BellatrixpureBlood · 16/06/2026 17:15

I’m not worried about the lack of social media, I don’t think it’s needed for children. But I am a parent and I can decide that for my own kids

This is also a sneaky back way in for digital ID

Edited

The ideal scenario would be that everyone could decide that for their own children, but the past 14 years of teaching has taught me that many, many parents prioritise a quiet life over the wellbeing of their children. Hence the 5 and 6 year old children in front of me who can’t write their name but can manage a TikTok account.

landlordhell · 16/06/2026 18:49

I haven’t heard anyone who is not happy about the ban. Just asked my 22 yr old amd she wishes she had t had access u til older. She got a phone when she went to secondary but we had not idea 10 years ago about what was on social media as we didn’t have it ourselves. Bring it on!

MrSchubertWhiskers · 16/06/2026 18:46

I back banning social media for children in principle but not when it requires us all to individually hand over our private data.

I also agree that not relying on social media for entertainment would be great for children and teenagers - yes in many ways it would be great to return to the halcyon pre-digital days...But, we are so digitised & underfunded as a society now that it wouldn't be a problem-free transition.

Original poster
PenelopeJoanSterling · 16/06/2026 18:39

PerkingFaintly · 16/06/2026 18:20

Funny you should mention that.

The Russians are using social media to attack the UK.

The guy who got bubbled up yesterday goes by the pseudonym "EL" but was very likely a certain Evgeny Lyukshin, son of a Russian diplomat. He was promoting fake online "far-right" and "Muslim" groups, and recruiting proxies to carry out vandalism and violence in the UK.

The vandalism included targeting mosques and a Conservative Club. The violence included arson attacks on a car and property linked to the serving UK prime minister. Keir Starmer's sister-in-law was living in the property at the time of the attack.

Hybrid warfare, innit?

Standard Russian disinformation and real-world attacks that we're now rather familiar with.

Russia was behind arson attacks targeting PM, BBC reveals
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8r2l352z2do

Show quote history

well years before it was newspapers, leaflets, etc so hardly new methods. its like if social media disappeared im guessing we would have the number stations back in operation via radio

OP posts:
Original poster
PenelopeJoanSterling · 16/06/2026 18:37

RightOnTheEdge · 16/06/2026 18:02

I found your sentences perfectly easy to read OP.
I'm 49 and occasionally use Omg!

Thank you

OP posts:
cheekynamechang3 · 16/06/2026 18:34

My 86 yo Gran says lol. She thinks it means "lots of love"

JuliaBraverman · 16/06/2026 18:31

LuckyHazelFox · 16/06/2026 17:20

Meanwhile, the Russians are firing warning shots at British civilians ships. Priorities arse about face Starmer and his makeshift half a job schemes.

This.. parents should be policing their children and the government should be protecting our nation. Fat chance of either at the moment.

PerkingFaintly · 16/06/2026 18:20

LuckyHazelFox · 16/06/2026 17:20

Meanwhile, the Russians are firing warning shots at British civilians ships. Priorities arse about face Starmer and his makeshift half a job schemes.

Funny you should mention that.

The Russians are using social media to attack the UK.

The guy who got bubbled up yesterday goes by the pseudonym "EL" but was very likely a certain Evgeny Lyukshin, son of a Russian diplomat. He was promoting fake online "far-right" and "Muslim" groups, and recruiting proxies to carry out vandalism and violence in the UK.

The vandalism included targeting mosques and a Conservative Club. The violence included arson attacks on a car and property linked to the serving UK prime minister. Keir Starmer's sister-in-law was living in the property at the time of the attack.

Hybrid warfare, innit?

Standard Russian disinformation and real-world attacks that we're now rather familiar with.

Russia was behind arson attacks targeting PM, BBC reveals
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8r2l352z2do

A composite image with a picture of Sir Keir Starmer on the left and on the right, a still from a video showing a car on fire, which was one of the arson attacks on property linked to him. Behind the image of Sir Keir is a Russian flag.

Russia was behind arson attacks targeting PM, BBC reveals

Evidence shows Russians directing the plot and stoking tensions with fake far-right and Muslim groups.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8r2l352z2do

plims · 16/06/2026 18:05

I’m not saying you should never use ‘omg’, but it is said usually a response or reaction to something. What I am querying is what it means when you say a person is being omg.

RightOnTheEdge · 16/06/2026 18:02

I found your sentences perfectly easy to read OP.
I'm 49 and occasionally use Omg!

Doteycat · 16/06/2026 18:02

plims · 16/06/2026 17:35

What’s with the ‘omg’ then?

Show quote history

Omfg.

Original poster
PenelopeJoanSterling · 16/06/2026 18:01

user1476613140 · 16/06/2026 18:00

VPNs. How can they police those?

at the moment im not sure, eg opera browser has the vpn option and its free,

OP posts:
user1476613140 · 16/06/2026 18:00

VPNs. How can they police those?