Social media to be fully banned for under-16s in UK.

[Scribe]

We’ve socially reprogrammed a whole generation of children. Then thrown that generation into the wilds with a load of anonymous adults and then added huge quantities of money through advertising revenues/scams without any regulation, standards, guidance or ethics. There literally is nothing else like it in the world, and there hasn’t since we took children out of the coal mine and put them into education. Pretty crazy when you think about it.

It's wild, and I've said it for years at this point. As a society, we will look back at this experiment and be horrified at what we allowed to happen, especially with the increased awareness of mental health and the long term impacts on unprepared developing brains.

Horror show.

 

[gban007]

I don’t think it is. I think I’ve been really clear that a solution should be found by the community (that I am also part of). I just don’t think the solution is harming the other 99% of kids.

While I agree with your points in general, I think it must be stated how hard it may be to find a solution. The advantage of social media is that the kids could reach out without family / direct peers knowing, and do it from relative safety of home rather than somewhere physical which could be attacked.
While it also has the host of drawbacks outlined, im not sure how easy it will be to find an alternative solution that isn't having to rely on a supportive family/ peer group, and / or a physical space with higher risks.
Anything online could end up falling under the social media ban.

Ultimately, if not able to reach out to a supportive community online (which i think these laws are looking to block), how can the at risk LGBTQA+ group find a safe space to reach out to others, especially if family / peer group not supportive?

 

[TheSword]

Competing and conflicting rights are always the hardest.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

Ultimately, if not able to reach out to a supportive community online (which i think these laws are looking to block), how can the at risk LGBTQA+ group find a safe space to reach out to others, especially if family / peer group not supportive?

My suspicion is that there will be a transitional period, but ultimately that community can reestablish: the market abhors a non-algorithmic vacuum, and under-16s (who can't circumvent the restrictions) aren't going to suddenly stop wanting online community. The question is whether existing platforms can position themselves ahead of the curve. Reddit seems like it might easily provide a parallel service, as it's already algorithmically transparent; Facebook, Xwitter and others would face more of a challenge.

Platforms might be built from the ground up, or even resurrected from the pre-algorithmic era. A migration to decentralised platforms like Mastodon or to Discord might provide the worst case scenario as the moderation is even crappier and this might make the alternative less safe, not more.

Incidentally, since 2010 nearly 1300 council-run youth centres have closed in the UK. So it's not like a physical infrastructure has had any investment put into it as an alternative.

 

[overgeeked]

Yes but can they solve it without invading peoples privacy?

Probably. The invasion of privacy is likely a convenient bonus or most likely the real reason, with the “protect the children” rhetoric as the smokescreen. As usual.

 

[delericho]

Incidentally, since 2010 nearly 1300 council-run youth centres have closed in the UK. So it's not like a physical infrastructure has had any investment put into it as an alternative.

Indeed, nor is it likely to given the state of the UK's finances. And things like gala days and youth clubs are mostly desperately struggling.

On top of that there has been a recent law change to tighten up the rules on who can volunteer with those youth clubs. Which is a very good thing ('cos, you know, child safety), but has the consequence of leaving clubs struggling even more for help - having gone through the checks I know they're no big deal, but there's no denying they're rather daunting the first time even with a clean record.

There are several Scouts troops near where I live, all of which have waiting lists - the demand is there, but leaders and funding are in short supply.

 

[mjprogue]

View attachment 439871

Not anyone responsibility to babysit your kids...its enough to keep them away from predators and brainrot.

 

[Zardnaar]

Some of those sites need age limit of 25.

And no over it's!!!!

Full ban!!

I barely use it. Thought Twitter was a have and the rest suck.

If you use it youre part of the problem really.

 

[Horwath]

And no over it's!!!!

Full ban!!

I barely use it. Thought Twitter was a have and the rest suck.

If you use it youre part of the problem really.

I'm sure that humanity would be better if some of those sites(and many others) would be erased from history, but we do want freedom of speech, expression and all that jazz...

so we suffer the bad to be able to get the good, in hope of evolving at some time in the future...

 

[dragoner]

Ideally as a public space it simply has order, and regulation.