Today’s Social Media Ban Announcement: Discussion

[ByeByeTikTok]

I haven’t seen a thread for today’s expected ban on social media for Under 16s so thought I’d start one. If there already is one pls link and I’ll get this deleted.

What will it likely include?
What won’t it include?
How do you and your kids feel about it, especially if they’re already using it?
Will you follow it, and when?
Will people try to get round it?

I too would like to know this.
How long before it actually happens??
Can any one shed light?
I have had a quick google but failed to find what I wanted to know.

I wondered about this aspect, that is it more about gathering usage data perhaps.

The problem is that it’s been made that we all now need our bloody phones for everything. so while I agree it’s been damaging,addictive,I cant see how it can make much of a difference.Every other thing is an app or QR code.

There needs to be parenting support and access to professionals alongside all this. Sure start centres everywhere again, youth centres, plans to engage with teens rather than just take something away that they are addicted to and leave them to it as they won’t always redirect themselves in a positive way

This.

The people I know who are pleased about it are, suprise suprise, the good parents with kids who are having a good childhood.

The people who seem angry about it are the shitty neglectful parents who can't be arsed parenting or engaging their own children.

Hopefully in a few years having a child on timtok will be as socially unacceptable as having a child smoking weed, and there will be a pull/push factor where even the poor children of shitty parents will benefit

Is that not a parent’s responsibility rather than the governments?

My youngest is nearly 16 so it won’t affect her but im
glad for my niece who is 11 now. I must say fhough that WhatsApp groups have caused just as much trouble as Social media in the last few years though

I’m glad ! I don’t want ds who’s 11 having tik tok or anything and this has solved the issue for me

I think it's a popular idea, and that's probably why they have gone for it. It isn't necessarily the best approach, though. I guess it's easier and more politically expedient to go for a ban than actually tackling the tech companies on the specific features of social media which are problematic.

Molly Russell's father speaks a lot of sense on this issue, and he isn't in favour of a ban.

I think this is exactly the issue that opponents of a ban are worried about...parents feeling like this will resolve the issue and that they're off the hook.

Overall I’m thrilled - DS13 has a heavily restricted phone but I did cave on Snapchat and ill
be glad to have more clout to get rid of that AND hold an even firmer line with his 11 year old sister.

Details of the YouTube restrictions would be useful as DD is teaching herself how to crochet using tutorials which I’m all for!!!

In an ideal world, yes. But we don’t live in one sadly and the children with the most unrestricted access currently will be the ones with parents who simply won’t step up.

But plenty of features of SM are problematic for children but not for adults, so how do you deal with it on the platform without overly policing grown adults all because someone wants to give their preteen unrestricted access to the internet?

I’ve never seen anyone actually make a sensible point on this topic, it’s always vague “go after tech companies” but in what way, for what, to what end? I think people are purposely vague because they don’t actually know either.

Would we say “go after alcohol companies” to solve teen drinking if it wasn’t already illegal rather than banning it in law?

My dc 14 and 16 have never been on social media the 16 year old has had snapchat since year 10 as a communication tool but neither are allowed or interested in TT, Insta and what now. Clearly it's possible to control this as a parent. But as a significant proportion of parents don't give a shit I am glad about the ban just so that younger people don't get their heads messed with and their ability to focus and communicate verbally undermined. Tweens asking for serious skin care is just so sad and they are turned into rampant consumers through vacuous influencers. I am being judgemental, yes the young teenagers who have been on TT and insta since they were 10 have an awfully affected 'influencer' way of talking in RL. Their parents are upset about it but don't limit SM>

I have an 8 year old and I'm really pleased. We don't allow him to go on YouTube Kids because we know how addictive the endlessly-playing videos and clips is, but a few of his friends are allowed and their attention span is shockingly poor. The ban won't prevent crap parents continuing to be crap, but I think it will help the majority of parents who are doing their best to say no to their kids. It's easier when you can say it's illegal rather than a parenting decision.

I think many of the features which are problematic for children probably are problematic for adults as well, though - algorithms feeding people harmful content, for example.

But if there are features that are suitable for adults but not for children, then these features could be turned off for children easily enough if there is actually a way of making age verification work. Which I'm sceptical about, but it's necessary for a ban either way.

I can definitely understand it’s not a clear cut solution and that it takes away the onus on social media companies to moderate their content better…. But on the whole as a mum of 6 & 3 year old it feels really positive to me. I hear year 5 and 6s in my son’s school talking about TikTok which is insane.

I agree.

Banning isn't going to work, especially as there are easy workarounds (as shown by Australia)

Anyone relying on the ban to solve the problem is being naive. Parents also need to be involved and active in monitoring social media usage or imposing limits / restrictions.

Jeez I don't let my 14 year old have Tik tok. It was a huge thing with her friends at primary school at the time. Some of her friends saw the live suicide. Absolutely shocking. One of her friends mum is a police woman too,so that shocked me.

What I meant was as ds is starting secondary school this year, albeit a special school so maybe the pressure won’t be as much I’m not sure, but obviously I know he would be saying oh everyone’s got it etc, I don’t want him to have it, I don’t have any social media so why should my kid ?! I’m not on there to see what he’s posting etc, so this has helped in my situation, ds being autistic is a stickler for the rules too so me saying, well you can’t it’s the law in our case will help

One of my posts has been hidden for some reason - but anyway, I also like the idea that it could lead to new social norms around parenting as well as kids.

Whatever will all the teen influencers do now though… will be interesting to see their responses around today’s speech.

Prohibition doesn’t work.

True - but it sure makes access a lot harder.

If they gave one iota about kids they'd lock up the men who make and distribute child abuse images.

None of this is about kids.