Social media and kids

[ageratum1]

I think there is no doubt now that social media is very addictive and very harmful to children and teenagers
If the Chinese government can keep Chinese children off it, why can't our government keep under 18s off?

No I would prefer the freedom to make those decisions myself as a parent.
I wouldn't want to live in a society that is that controlled.

I once casually mentioned to SIL that kids aren't allowed on Facebook (Facebook rule) until they are 13. She said "that's ridiculous!!" And I earnestly agreed until I realised she meant that's way too old and kids should be allowed it long before 13. That was awkward.

Didn't someone post something about this the other week and was told that Chinese children have their own social media that's much more intrusive than western versions?

Everything's already becoming very policed, I would not be happy with a chinese type government. at 17 I was grown enough to decide whether I wanted to be on social media. However, I do think it's wrong/weird seeing primary school kids using it.

It shouldn’t be down to the government it should be down to parents.

I tend to agree op. Most parents just give in and let them have it. So it’s a losing battle to ever avoid it for long. If their were more restrictions it would protect kids who have parents who don’t bother to monitor

The Chinese government can’t keep their children off social media just like it can’t police the restrictions on how much money leaves the country each year.

if you put a restriction in there are always ways to get around it.

it is down to parents to teach the dangers and restrict it not the government

Do you have a link to the evidence of harm?

This is at least the second thread mentioning the Chinese government and social media. Lazy journalism?

The Chinese kids are just addicted to the media they are allowed

It's the screen/scrolling/interaction they are addicted to.

I feel like the parents who are demanding laws against / bans on social media for under 18's are just abdicating their parental responsibility.

I don’t think this has anything to do with what China does for children. Children in the U.K. can’t buy a drink in a pub or a packet of cigarettes for themselves, so why should something with proven harms for children, such as social media, be any different? Any parent banging on about not wanting governments to tell them what to do, should just go buy their children some alcohol, because why should any government stop you doing that then, if you’re the parent that knows what’s best for your child…

@StillCreatingAName it's actually perfectly legal for parents to allow children over the age of 5 to drink alcohol in the privacy of their own home.
This means that parents have the freedom to decide what's best for their children about alcohol - not the government.
Some parents will be no alcohol ever until 18 but some will be it's fine to have a glass of champagne/wine at a special occasion from the age of 15 or a 16/17 year old drinking one can of cider at a family BBQ.
It's the parents choice.

@ItsHitTheFanNow

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dangers-of-social-media-for-youth

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/04/smoking-gambling-children-social-media-apps-snapchat-health-regulation

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2023/03/10/smartphones-and-social-media-are-destroying-childrens-mental-health/

Lots more information out there if you google it.

What about all the adults who are addicted to social media? I reckon a lot of kids who are addicted to social media have parents who are too.

@AstralSpace
Absolutely. The significant difference is that adults grew up without access to smartphones, social media etc and their brains were fully formed and developed by the time smartphones were accessible. The same is not true for children and adolescents.

@BodenCardiganNot
Yep totally agree. I think adults brains are being re-wired too. Many can't focus on a book or a film any any more and will admit that they think social media and scrolling are to blame. Though it seems that they can get their focus back if they change their habits.
I'm not sure about kids though. Will their brains develop differently altogether?

I was referring to children buying alcohol.
Of course any parent who wants to give a child age over 5 maybe 4.5 is ok too why wait alcohol in their own home, should just crack on with their liberal, top parenting methods, whatever works best for their own children’s developing brains.

Bring on those sherry-sipping play dates, where they all scroll through socials on their smartphones.

@StillCreatingAName I may have not understood quite what you meant or you might have not understood me. I'm not entirely sure.
My comment was just in reference to alcohol which currently is legal for over 5s. Doesn't mean I think children should be drinking alcohol. Personally I don't drink alcohol at all. I don't like it.
But what I meant was that some things should be down to parents choice - not the government. Because then how far could it go - ban smoking, alcohol and smart phones for children. Ok sounds sensible....but what will be next? It's a scary thought to allow the government that much power.

@AstralSpace
I'm not sure about kids though. Will their brains develop differently altogether

According to new research - they will. I have posted before about a book by Jonathan Haidt - The Anxious Generation.
One reviewer states The Anxious Generation is nonetheless an urgent and essential read, and it ought to become a foundational text for the growing movement to keep smartphones out of schools, and young children off social media. As well as calling for school phone bans, Haidt argues that governments should legally assert that tech companies have a duty of care to young people, the age of internet adulthood should be raised to 16, and companies forced to institute proper age verification – all eminently sensible and long overdue interventions.

China is not a democracy. It is a totalitarian regime with no human rights.

Surely you can see the difference?

I can’t comment on the situation in China because I don’t know enough about it. But I’d certainly like the see the age of internet adulthood raised to 16 (which is what it was originally supposed to be, before lobby groups got in the way - interesting interview with Jonathan Haidt here https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-new-yorker-interview/jonathan-haidt-wants-you-to-take-away-your-kids-phone?utmsource=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Daily_042124&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&utm_term=tny_daily_digest&bxid=5eb5d7141976bc17a66ad7ad&cndid=21764564&hasha=d43d320c091ccd7bd46dbc381f758b10&hashb=698d868a6bcb3a0b0d81dd7976e789b7f0ad091c&hashc=159489891ef57704418d63a93b9362aa6a689a862740436d09db67ac981e13c1&esrc=Auto_Subs)

It’s easy to say ‘well it’s up to parents to restrict it’ - that is true to a certain extent, but realistically how many parents will do that to their teens when all meet ups etc are organised via SM?

I feel as though, yes people are right, it would be difficult to ban, but I think we could move in the right direction. For example logins could be linked to ids such as driving licences or passports.
I honestly think some parents have not got the first clue about the amunt of harm that is done to children and young people. I am a primary school teacher, and even at this age SO much time is spent sorting out the fallout. At secondary school it is much much worse and responsible for depression and anxiety in many teens as they gaze at their peers curated lifestyle depicted on SM. That is even before we address the problems of bullying , exclusion, grooming, pornography and of course the time wasted scrolling through inane content and the damage it does to youngsters concentration.

I would agree @ToryHater i know it would be very difficult to enforce. But I think just making it illegal would go a long way. Many parents would be able to say “sorry I can’t allow it if it’s illegal” which stands up much easier when trying to enforce something

This is very disturbing.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/child-sex-abuse-extreme-imagery-b2532685.html