Kids cans still use social media – they just can’t sign their lives away to tech giants, says Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation.
Australia has recently introduced one of the most significant reforms in the international movement to protect children from industrial-scale harm caused by social media companies. Today, the Australian Online Safety Amendment officially came into effect, which raises the age at which children can sign contracts (terms of service agreements) with these companies from 13 to 16. Now, children will be able to view content on YouTube, TikTok and many other platforms without an account, just like adults. But they will have to wait to agree to give their data to others and expose themselves to manipulative design.
of this policy Support parents in Australia and around the World. Popular because most parents I don’t want Their children use social media, but many feel they have no choice: If they hold the line and keep their children away while other people’s children are on, then their children will be isolated, too.
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One common criticism of the policy is that the ban is so harsh that it prevents children from watching videos on YouTube and teachers from using YouTube videos in their classrooms. This is wrong; Contrary to their claims, the law does not prevent children from accessing content. Inside Remarks of the e-Safety Commissioner“This is not a ban, it is a postponement of having an account.” This distinction is important. When a user creates an account, they enter into a contractual relationship with a platform and give a company the power to collect data, personalize an endless stream of their behavior, push notifications designed to grab their attention, expose them to direct messages from strangers, and encourage them to stay online much longer than they intended.
Just like a 13-year-old can’t sign up for a credit card, this policy change makes clear that children shouldn’t be locked into digital contracts. Developmental science and common sense tell us that children have difficulty weighing short-term rewards against long-term costs. A design that exploits this imbalance should be banned. Lawmakers around the world are cheering on Australia similar policies like that taken into account worldwide. Social media companies will be willing to address any issues that arise during the rollout. Considering their predictable tactic, it is worth keeping a few points in mind as this monumental law comes into force.
A common criticism of such legislative moves is that determined children will find workarounds. Some will. This was always true. However, the goal here is not perfect execution; changes the default environment so children are not pressured to move into digital spaces they don’t actually want because they don’t want to be left out.
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In a study conducted at the University of Chicago, teens valued social media only because others used it and they preferred (and were willing to pay for) a world where no one used social media. We work with many youth groups who are aware of the dangers of childhood spent on phones and want solutions. Many describe regret, anxiety, or the feeling that if everyone else gave up, they would too. Behavioral economists studying adolescent platform use come to the same conclusion: many adolescents collective action trap – a situation where individuals continue to do something because they fear they will be left out if they stop.
That’s why politics matters. Children and families should not have to fight this fight alone. The onus lies on the platforms whose design and data practices are currently shaping children’s daily experiences more than any family can resist.
Children should still be able to have broad access to information online, and this law will protect childhood without restricting access to information. Requiring children to use platforms without logging in significantly reduces the most manipulative or developmentally risky design features, including direct messages, personalization, notifications, behavioral profiling, targeted advertising, and unwanted contact.
