China and our children. AIBU to be deeply concerned?

[Concerningalgorithms]

I read this article and am so concerned. So many of our kids are on TT.

https://nypost.com/2023/02/25/china-is-hurting-us-kids-with-tiktok-but-protecting-its-own/amp/

Basically, TT and other SM have the same effect on our brain as addictive substances such as heroine. Developers know this and create highly addictive (make use of our knowledge of the reward centre in our brain), apps/platforms/games that leave us with dopamine crashes when we can’t have it. So that tantrum or meltdown when we say ‘turn screens off now’ is partly, if not mostly, to do with that, is one example.

The article above says that China use different algorithms there for TT so it is helpful for children’s development. They are peddling addictive, concentration lowering crap to children around the world, but protecting their own children.

Why are we allowing this? Why are we not protecting our children too? The science is there.

And AIBU to think that we are at risk, as a country, of raising a generation that will be less well adapted and more vulnerable in the future to a hostile take over?

Based on what?

Happy bee keeping. 🐝

As expected. Still no real suggestions. It’s almost like you have none.

It’s not my job to fix it. My job and expertise is in child development and wellbeing.

I have made suggestions and I’ve caveats that clarify that I’ve no idea what the exact answer is as I’m not an expert. I can just see a problem.

I’m not, however, going to accept your implicit invitation to re-share them for you to condescendingly pick them apart.

As I say, happy bee keeping 🐝

Only that isn’t your job. And if it was you would be offering far more substantive contributions.

I, and others, have read your comments. There’s nothing.

There you go. Found one. They cannot legislate around apps in the way you’re suggesting because they shouldn’t have access to social media. Parents are facilitating them having the accounts in the first place.

They will also just allow them to have access to adult accounts. How would you even begin to police it?

I don’t understand what you mean when you say ‘only that isn’t your job’. Do you mean I’m lying? If so, that’s really bizarre, and I think, the aim is to get me riled up and into some kind of argument with you.

I have read my posts back, because despite knowing I have made some suggestions about possible solutions, you will be pleased to know I started to doubt myself. I was very pleased to see that I had, as per my memory, made some suggestions and wasn’t rude to you until you were rude to me. I have also stated on numerous occasions that I don’t have expertise in the solutions, I can just see a problem that concerns me.

I suspect the previous poster, citing Colin Robinson vibes, is correct.

🐝 Enjoy the bee in that there bonnet of yours.

There is that there bee again.

Like I say, the solutions will fit into other peoples areas of expertise, not mine. I just see the problem.

So you admit you haven’t suggested anything that’s actually practical?

Perfect.

Now let’s explore whether you actually understand what the issue is and the true scale. A starting point is how many teenagers you think are actually on tik tok.

Ok and you still haven’t acknowledged that if parents choose to put those controls in place they would exist. Just like they do in China.

Why so invested? I don’t get it? And, no, I suggested no such thing. I’m just not going to enter into your desired ding ding about possible solutions as you are just going be patronising and condescending and I’m just not invested in it.

I have shared an opinion on line that you don’t agree with. There is nothing in the content of what you have written that makes me believe that you have any credibility. You just don’t like my views. That’s fine. We can agree to disagree and go our separate ways.

Give my love to the bee.

It’s both/and. Not either/or. Parents need educating and supporting to put greater limits in AND there needs to be better policy/legislation like there is around other harmful things.

The degree to which a state intervenes with such things is often a political one and driven by ideology. That’s the subject of a different thread and not a debate I wish to get into.

And how do you propose they enforce it? I have explained how gambling works.

Similar it’s illegal to sell alcohol to children. And cigarettes. And, in fact mobile phones. Children cannot have mobile phone contracts or social medial accounts. So all the same rules exist, but parents bend them. What do you expect the government to do? The rules are there.

Which brings us back to the original many of us have made repeatedly. This is a parenting issue. You say parents don’t recognise the severity of the issue but have produced no evidence at all to suggest there is a severe issue. That there is an issue with parents not putting in place appropriate controls. Etc.

It’s interesting that I’m discussing the issue in a way that’s challenging and you resort to insults and personal attacks. Yet I’m rude.

The opinion you shared was that China is trying to brain wash our teens by putting in place controls that we as a nation choose not to put in place. That’s on us. Not China. Not the government. And actually not the majority of parents.

I don’t want to discuss with someone who has been so rude. You are not actually interested in a debate you just want a ding dong. You were rude and condescending (and so I matched that) and you have misrepresented what I’ve said and questioned my expertise. You’ve lied (said I hadn’t given any possible solutions when I’d given a few and on several occasions said it’s not my area of expertise) and ignored my questions. It’s a wholly unsatisfying debate.

If you’d been a bit more humble, open and level I’d debate with you. But you are just looking for a reason to disagree.

You don’t agree that this requires policy or legislation changes. That’s fine. I disagree. It’s ok. We can agree to disagree.

I will leave you and your bee in peace my lovely. Have a fab day.

You are making endless false accusations there. I wasn’t rude nor was I personal. That was you. Which you’ve continued to do here.

You haven’t given actual practical solutions, you’ve repeated the same borderline xenophobic theories and then attempted to change your point to a general concern about tik tok. When people have explained why your solutions aren’t solutions or are already available if people choose to use them you’ve ignored them and then (in my case) promptly accused rudeness. I have asked the questions in good faith, you have refused to answer them, you keep saying policy or legislation changes but won’t actually give examples of what changes you would like. You have provided comparators and it’s then been explained why the suggestion isn’t appropriate.

I am not looking for a reason to disagree, I am very open to practical suggestions as to how you tackle the issue of tik tok (although full disclosure I have seen nothing to evidence that the issue is as severe as you believe) and other social media. But until the issues have been clearly identitified - which you haven’t - the solution cannot be identified. And, again, you can keep saying you’ve come up with solutions but I’ve read your comments several times and you really haven’t.

I’m actually going to break down the law for the things you’ve given as examples.

Tabacco. You can smoke at any age. You cannot purchase tobacco until you’re over 18.

Gambling. As explained but to clarify, gambling is linked to contract law. You cannot enter into a contract until you’re 18 hence you cannot gamble. But in reality you can. Because you could gamble at home, with friends etc. so like smoking it’s only enforceable from one end - the point of sale.

Alcohol. The same as above. You cannot purchase. It’s only regulated in a way that it can be. If you’re at home and your parents purchase you can do whatever.

mobile phones. The same as above. You cannot get a contract. Parents can.

Social media - as with the above. Only slightly more as the social media companies require you to be over 13 and if under you’re lying. In addition there are endless controls available to parents relating to content, screen time usage etc.

It is all there. Available for parents. And legislation around it is no less strict than for anything else.

🐝

This isn’t making the point you think it’s making. It’s proving my point. That you cannot actually discuss it.

I’m not reading your posts. You have a bee in your bonnet and whatever you say and whatever you do, it has no impact on me. I am as happy as a bee in clover. You seem vexed. Go live your life and be free. Try to chill out. I’m just some random on a thread. It really makes no difference to you what I believe, think or post.

Release the bee Colin. 🐝 Let it go.

Again, proving the point.

You’ve made all sorts of accusations, been quite personal and done all you can to avoid an adult conversation. Which you continue to do. It’s almost like you can’t.

You are persistent. I’ll give you that.

And you’re evasive.

Thank you.

The most disappointing is it could have been an interesting conversation.