Tag: Social media
There is reliable evidence social media harms young people – debates about it are a misdirection
There has been a huge public debate about whether there is sufficient direct evidence of social media harm. But there are many mechanisms that make the link clear.
How the federal government’s misinformation bill might impede freedom of speech
Despite what some critics argue, the bill does not give the government power to censor or prosecute people for what they say. But it does have some potential problems.
Governments are pushing teen social media bans – but behind the scenes is a messy fight over science
Jonathan Haidt’s book The Anxious Generation has set governments against teen social media – and triggered a months-long debate among experts.
Australian kids under 16 will soon be banned from social media – but parents still don’t know which apps are out
The Albanese government has announced a plan to ban kids under 16 from social media. There’s no explanation why this age was chosen, and the decision flies in the face of expert advice.
A technical fix to keep kids safe online? Here’s what happened last time Australia tried to make a ‘clean’ internet
Australia’s proposal to bar young people from social media faces similar issues to the ‘clean feed’ internet filter abandoned in 2012.
The government’s social media ban for kids will exempt ‘low-risk’ platforms. What does that mean?
Like the whole idea of banning young people from social media, allowing limited access to platforms that have a “low risk of harm” is deeply flawed.
The design tricks keeping your kids hooked on games and apps – and 3 things you can do about it
From streaks to loot boxes, apps for kids are full of ‘persuasive design’ intended to keep users watching, playing and paying – whether it’s good for them or not.
‘Side job, self-employed, high-paid’: behind the AI slop flooding TikTok and Facebook
In places like India, Vietnam and China, churning out weird AI videos is the latest side hustle for students and stay-at-home mothers.
Australia’s new scam prevention draft is welcome – but it needs to be broader in scope
Last year, Australians lost more than $2.7 billion to scammers. The government’s new scam prevention framework is currently open for public consultation.
The death of printed newspapers has long been predicted – but there are still some pleasing signs of life
Research shows that people are shifting to social media for their news and trust in news organisations remains low – but there are signs the legacy media are adapting to the new environment.
Social media is like sex – young people need education, not unrealistic bans
Instead of just banning young people from social media, the government should develop and fund better social media literacy programs for them.
Albanese promises to legislate minimum age for kids’ access to social media
The Albanese government will legislate this term to enforce a minimum age for children to access social media.
South Australia is proposing a law to ban kids under 14 from social media. How would it work?
Children under 14 would be banned from social media, while teens aged 14–15 would need parental consent. But this law will be challenging to implement.
Should misogyny be treated as a form of extremism?
The rise of misogynist attitudes among Australian boys occurs alongside an existing crisis — endemic levels of gender-based violence and murder perpetrated against women.
Social media algorithms are shrouded in secrecy. We’re trying to change that
The new Australian Internet Observatory will shed crucial light on the inner workings of social media platforms.
