In a year, under 16's in Australia will no longer be allowed to access social media.
The Australian Senate has passed laws banning them from accessing the platforms.
The ban will come into force at the end of next year -- social media companies will face fines if they fail to take reasonable steps to keep children off.
Senior researcher at Koi Tu Centre for Informed Futures Dr Felicia Low, told Kerre Woodham parents need to be able to have a say in what their children are doing.
She says it can be easier if there's a top-down approach where a law is in place, so children can't argue against it.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the carry wood of Morning's podcast from
News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
The Australian Senate has passed world first laws banning under
sixteens from social media. The band will come into force
in a year. Social media companies could be fined up
to fifty five million New Zealand dollars for failing to
take reasonable steps to keep under sixteens off their platforms.
Doctor Felicia Lowe is a senior researcher at QUIT the
(00:33):
Center for Informed Futures, a think tank founded by Sir
Peter Gluckman. Good morning, Felicia, Good morning Carrie. Do you
accept that the genie is out of the bottle or
is there a way of controlling access to social media
sites for young people?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I think that there are steps that we as parents
and policymakers can take to help ensure that the content
that children and young people are exposed to on social
media is age appropriate and not going to impact negatively
on you know, their mental health and so on.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Just I mean, it's not just the access they're exposed to,
it's what they generate and what their peers generate that
it can also be so very damaging. The conversations that
used to be notes passed in school are now twenty
four to seven, you know kind of.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
That's yeah, the trial, Yes, that's right. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Cyber bullying is quite a big issue and it can
have a real negative impact of of course, on teenagers
well being, and you know, there can be some very
serious consequences for that, you know, including you know, society
attempts and so on. So it's a very very serious
matter that we do need to keep on top off.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I think for a lot of people they just thought
it was too hard. How do we control this? Everybody's
got access to smartphones, you know, you can't you can't
supervise a child's access to social media twenty four seven.
But if there is an expectation that children don't have
access that it's all very well and good to have laws,
(02:08):
but the community has to set those standards as well
and set those expectations. Where does it have to come
from top down bottom up?
Speaker 4 (02:17):
I think both.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
So if parents need to be able to have a
say in what their children are doing, of course, and
sometimes it can be easier if there is a more
top down approach where you know, there is a law
in place, so it's not something that children can argue
against in a sense, but also at the same time,
you know, parents might find it more useful to have
(02:42):
a chat with the parents of their children's friends as
well to see what they're up to and what sort
of you know, social media they're using, if they are
at all, and whether there's you know, any issues with
expectations of their children about whether they want to you know,
keep using it or whether there is that pressure, whether
there isn't that pressure to use it. So it's just
(03:03):
good to be as aware of your children's usage or
intent to use as much as possible.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Well, yeah, that's the thing. Because I was reading an
article from Cecilia Robinson, who is a businesswoman in New Zealand,
and she was trying to keep her son away from
social media sites for as long as she possibly could,
but then found that WhatsApp was the messaging app of
choice for the young people. He was being left out
(03:29):
and excluded, not because they didn't like him, but because
they couldn't contact him. And she found that really difficult
to try and walk a happy medium of being able
to interact with the kids without being exposed to the
ugly side.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
That's right, Yeah, there is really that pressure of joining
in then you know, that fear of missing out on
what your friends are discussing, you know, without you being
able to join in a conversation.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
So I definitely understand that there are some pressures there
as well.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
So that's why I suggest that you know, parents get
banded together and sort of have an agreement on you know,
what their children will be using or maybe when in
the day they can use it.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Then maybe it might make things a little bit easier
for the children.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
I think we're seeing that with the young ones coming up,
Like I've certainly seen with my daughter and son in
law and their friends. They're cohort at the primary school.
They're all reluctant to allow their children to have access
to smartphones until well, you know, they're saying sixteen. So
it may well be led by the parents themselves who
(04:34):
have seen the damage done to a previous generation.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
So yeah, in the case where there is no government
policy available, it really has to be up to the
parents to do something about it.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
And it is tricky because, yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
It's all about finding that balance between not wanting to
be too restrictive on what your children, how they are
able to socialize, with their friends versus you know, letting
them just do carte blanche, you know, do whatever they
want and inadvertently be exposed to the negative impacts.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
The other thing is and I still I remember a
movie I saw, American History X and there's a scene
in there, and I cannot unsee that. Once you see something,
you cannot unsee it. And yes, that's what makes me
just so horrified by what young minds like I was
(05:28):
an adult and I couldn't cope with and it was only,
I mean I say, only an act of violence. But
when you think of some of the horrors that these
kids are exposed to, you cannot unsee that.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Yep, you're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
And this is really tricky because I mean, you know,
so I would suggest to parents to you know, have
sort of monitor what children are exposed to, you know,
investigate using parental controls on devices, and you know, make
sure that they don't use devices, you know, in their
bedroom at the door closed and you have no idea
what's going on, but just try to be as open
(06:01):
as possible in their usage. But again, this is obviously
not fool proof. We can never really be sure that
you know all all the each inappropriate content is being
kept out.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
So it is really tricky.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yes, so it's tricky, but I think it is going
to have to come from parents first, isn't it. I mean,
we can wait for legislation. Legislation is not I mean
even in you know, like in Australia, they're saying there's
no details on how it will be enforced. But basically
legislation is saying this is society's expectation and then and
(06:35):
that is helpful, isn't it in terms of helping parents say, look, well,
these are the rules. You know, you cannot have a
phone until you're sixteen. That's right.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
I think that can be helpful in the sense that,
you know, the children can't just say, oh, you're just
being you know, too draconian with your rules. It's it's
if there is legislation coming through, then they can point
to the fact that this is, you know, a more
widespread phenomenon that is not just that particular household family
that's that's particularly strict. It's something that you know, it's
(07:04):
expected that hopefully more other parents can also follow the
caution that the government is trying to put in place.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I think there's so much good on the internet as well.
You know, there is there is so much good And
I use the internet with the with the young ones,
you know, the five and seven year old to see things,
to explain things, to learn things together. And yeah, it's
just it's just the damage I think outweighs the good.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
It's it's hard.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
So I am a parent of primary school age children myself.
I've got two boys, eight and eleven.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
So they're kind of at that age where soon they will.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Be demanding to go on social media as well and
you know, possibly get exposed to content that I have
absolutely no idea they are seeing. And at the same time,
you know, like you said, I use the internet to
you know, as an educational tool to learn a lot,
and it's it's a really great way of opening their
eyes to things that they may not otherwise experience or
(08:06):
see in any other way. So, yes, it is a
very tricky balance that has to be found in terms
of how we can get them to experience all the
advantages of using social media or the Internet in general,
versus ensuring that they are as protected as possible from
the ill facts.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Yeah, and that's not even touching on the pornography that
eleven and twelve year olds say that sort of sets
them up as to think that that's what normal relationships
are like, well, I mean normal and inverted comments.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
But yes, absolutely, it probably should be a conversation that parents.
You know. Unfortunately, not everyone will, not all parents will
be looking forward to it.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
But we can't.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
We can't ignore it. We can't because it's it's ubiquitous
and it you know, we will just have to assume
that old children will be exposed at some point, inadvertently
or not.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Thank you very much for your time. I do appreciate it,
doctor Felicia Loo, who is senior researcher at QUAD, to
the Center for Informed Futures.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
For more from carry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
News Talks at b from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the carry wood of Morning's podcast from
News Talk SEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
The Australian Senate has passed world first laws banning under
sixteens from social media. The band will come into force
in a year. Social media companies could be fined up
to fifty five million New Zealand dollars for failing to
take reasonable steps to keep under sixteens off their platforms.
Doctor Felicia Lowe is a senior researcher at QUIT the
(00:33):
Center for Informed Futures, a think tank founded by Sir
Peter Gluckman. Good morning, Felicia, Good morning Carrie. Do you
accept that the genie is out of the bottle or
is there a way of controlling access to social media
sites for young people?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I think that there are steps that we as parents
and policymakers can take to help ensure that the content
that children and young people are exposed to on social
media is age appropriate and not going to impact negatively
on you know, their mental health and so on.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Just I mean, it's not just the access they're exposed to,
it's what they generate and what their peers generate that
it can also be so very damaging. The conversations that
used to be notes passed in school are now twenty
four to seven, you know kind of.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
That's yeah, the trial, Yes, that's right. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Cyber bullying is quite a big issue and it can
have a real negative impact of of course, on teenagers
well being, and you know, there can be some very
serious consequences for that, you know, including you know, society
attempts and so on. So it's a very very serious
matter that we do need to keep on top off.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
I think for a lot of people they just thought
it was too hard. How do we control this? Everybody's
got access to smartphones, you know, you can't you can't
supervise a child's access to social media twenty four seven.
But if there is an expectation that children don't have
access that it's all very well and good to have laws,
(02:08):
but the community has to set those standards as well
and set those expectations. Where does it have to come
from top down bottom up?
Speaker 4 (02:17):
I think both.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
So if parents need to be able to have a
say in what their children are doing, of course, and
sometimes it can be easier if there is a more
top down approach where you know, there is a law
in place, so it's not something that children can argue
against in a sense, but also at the same time,
you know, parents might find it more useful to have
(02:42):
a chat with the parents of their children's friends as
well to see what they're up to and what sort
of you know, social media they're using, if they are
at all, and whether there's you know, any issues with
expectations of their children about whether they want to you know,
keep using it or whether there is that pressure, whether
there isn't that pressure to use it. So it's just
(03:03):
good to be as aware of your children's usage or
intent to use as much as possible.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Well, yeah, that's the thing. Because I was reading an
article from Cecilia Robinson, who is a businesswoman in New Zealand,
and she was trying to keep her son away from
social media sites for as long as she possibly could,
but then found that WhatsApp was the messaging app of
choice for the young people. He was being left out
(03:29):
and excluded, not because they didn't like him, but because
they couldn't contact him. And she found that really difficult
to try and walk a happy medium of being able
to interact with the kids without being exposed to the
ugly side.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
That's right, Yeah, there is really that pressure of joining
in then you know, that fear of missing out on
what your friends are discussing, you know, without you being
able to join in a conversation.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
So I definitely understand that there are some pressures there
as well.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
So that's why I suggest that you know, parents get
banded together and sort of have an agreement on you know,
what their children will be using or maybe when in
the day they can use it.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Then maybe it might make things a little bit easier
for the children.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
I think we're seeing that with the young ones coming up,
Like I've certainly seen with my daughter and son in
law and their friends. They're cohort at the primary school.
They're all reluctant to allow their children to have access
to smartphones until well, you know, they're saying sixteen. So
it may well be led by the parents themselves who
(04:34):
have seen the damage done to a previous generation.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
So yeah, in the case where there is no government
policy available, it really has to be up to the
parents to do something about it.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
And it is tricky because, yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
It's all about finding that balance between not wanting to
be too restrictive on what your children, how they are
able to socialize, with their friends versus you know, letting
them just do carte blanche, you know, do whatever they
want and inadvertently be exposed to the negative impacts.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
The other thing is and I still I remember a
movie I saw, American History X and there's a scene
in there, and I cannot unsee that. Once you see something,
you cannot unsee it. And yes, that's what makes me
just so horrified by what young minds like I was
(05:28):
an adult and I couldn't cope with and it was only,
I mean I say, only an act of violence. But
when you think of some of the horrors that these
kids are exposed to, you cannot unsee that.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Yep, you're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
And this is really tricky because I mean, you know,
so I would suggest to parents to you know, have
sort of monitor what children are exposed to, you know,
investigate using parental controls on devices, and you know, make
sure that they don't use devices, you know, in their
bedroom at the door closed and you have no idea
what's going on, but just try to be as open
(06:01):
as possible in their usage. But again, this is obviously
not fool proof. We can never really be sure that
you know all all the each inappropriate content is being
kept out.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
So it is really tricky.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yes, so it's tricky, but I think it is going
to have to come from parents first, isn't it. I mean,
we can wait for legislation. Legislation is not I mean
even in you know, like in Australia, they're saying there's
no details on how it will be enforced. But basically
legislation is saying this is society's expectation and then and
(06:35):
that is helpful, isn't it in terms of helping parents say, look, well,
these are the rules. You know, you cannot have a
phone until you're sixteen. That's right.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
I think that can be helpful in the sense that,
you know, the children can't just say, oh, you're just
being you know, too draconian with your rules. It's it's
if there is legislation coming through, then they can point
to the fact that this is, you know, a more
widespread phenomenon that is not just that particular household family
that's that's particularly strict. It's something that you know, it's
(07:04):
expected that hopefully more other parents can also follow the
caution that the government is trying to put in place.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
I think there's so much good on the internet as well.
You know, there is there is so much good And
I use the internet with the with the young ones,
you know, the five and seven year old to see things,
to explain things, to learn things together. And yeah, it's
just it's just the damage I think outweighs the good.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
It's it's hard.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
So I am a parent of primary school age children myself.
I've got two boys, eight and eleven.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
So they're kind of at that age where soon they will.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Be demanding to go on social media as well and
you know, possibly get exposed to content that I have
absolutely no idea they are seeing. And at the same time,
you know, like you said, I use the internet to
you know, as an educational tool to learn a lot,
and it's it's a really great way of opening their
eyes to things that they may not otherwise experience or
(08:06):
see in any other way. So, yes, it is a
very tricky balance that has to be found in terms
of how we can get them to experience all the
advantages of using social media or the Internet in general,
versus ensuring that they are as protected as possible from
the ill facts.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Yeah, and that's not even touching on the pornography that
eleven and twelve year olds say that sort of sets
them up as to think that that's what normal relationships
are like, well, I mean normal and inverted comments.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
But yes, absolutely, it probably should be a conversation that parents.
You know. Unfortunately, not everyone will, not all parents will
be looking forward to it.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
But we can't.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
We can't ignore it. We can't because it's it's ubiquitous
and it you know, we will just have to assume
that old children will be exposed at some point, inadvertently
or not.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Thank you very much for your time. I do appreciate it,
doctor Felicia Loo, who is senior researcher at QUAD, to
the Center for Informed Futures.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
For more from carry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
News Talks at b from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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