Many places take action to protect children on social networks

As social media platforms become a daily "medicine" for many people, governments around the world are paying attention to their negative impacts.

Last year, Australia took the bold step of banning children under 16 from accessing social media through a new law. Under the law, minors cannot bypass restrictions even with parental consent. Social media platforms face fines of up to $32.5 million if they fail to block children from accessing their services. The law will come into effect after a one-year trial period, but it has also raised questions about the effectiveness of current age verification systems.

Many dangers can be posed to young children from social media platforms

Similarly, the UK has also taken similar measures by banning under-16s from using social media through the Online Safety Act 2023 to create a safer internet environment for children.

The dangers of social networks for young people

The backlash against social media use has been growing over the years. Several schools have sued the media giant Meta, alleging that the company is addictive to children and negatively affecting the mental health of adolescents. Previous studies have linked social media use to financial problems, such as “buy now, pay later” debt. A California judge recently allowed a ban on “addictive feeds” for children.

Indonesia is not left out. The country’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs is drafting new regulations to ban social media use for certain age groups. Minister Meutya Hafid announced the plan after discussions with President Prabowo Subianto. While she did not specify the age range, she stressed the importance of protecting children in the digital space.

With a population of around 280 million, Indonesia is expected to have an internet penetration rate of 79.5% by 2024. A survey found that 48% of children under the age of 12 have access to the internet, while internet penetration among Gen Z (ages 12 to 27) is as high as 87%. These figures show that the need for measures to protect children on social media is becoming more urgent.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhieu-noi-hanh-dong-bao-ve-tre-tren-mang-xa-hoi-185250115135116236.htm