Canada this week joined the growing number of countries seeking to impose a ban on social media for kids. The policy is doomed to fail, just as it has elsewhere.
Last year Australia became the first nation to institute a nationwide ban on social media for those younger than 16. It’s not going well.
Aussie teens often joke about how easy it is to get around the restrictions. Many use their parents’ accounts or trick age estimation software using AI-generated photos. More than two-thirds of parents report that the ban was ineffective in getting their children off platforms they had already been using, the Australian government acknowledged in March.
Failure has not deterred other countries, and some American states, from following the fad. Brazil and Indonesia enacted their own restrictions on social media for children, and several European countries such as Britain, France, Greece and Spain are considering the same.
Adopting unenforceable laws trains people — especially teens — not to take government rules seriously. It also risks giving parents a false sense of security.
The platforms’ algorithms are designed to take advantage of the brain’s reward system, which can lead to compulsive behaviors. Social media also can reinforce negative body images and expose children to the nasty side of the internet. Cyberbullying and sexual exploitation sometimes lead to suicidal thoughts.
But that doesn’t mean bans are the answer. Social media, for all its downsides, also has social benefits, especially for kids with disabilities. Those living in remote areas often use it to connect with communities that support them.
The measures needed to enforce age restrictions raise serious privacy concerns and make it overly difficult to maintain anonymity online.
Canada’s proposal would extend beyond social platforms to include artificial intelligence chatbot services. It would allow some companies to be exempted from the age restrictions if they implement “adequate safeguards,” which will be determined by a powerful new regulator.
Most social media platforms and smartphones already have robust parental controls. A better approach to age-gating platforms would be to strengthen those tools and teach kids how to use these platforms properly. Schools have a role to play here, but the onus is on parents. They are always going to be better at judging their children’s needs than the government.
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