When the government of Australia decided to implement the world-first National Youth Social Media Ban, it was picked as a deadly for a growing mental health crisis.
It followed the intense debate about social media dangers, made a lot of clear in the book “The Accelerated Generation” by Jonathan Hadt. American social psychologist argues that smartphone -based childhood and social media are helping to promote an epidemic of mental illness among teenagers.
As the ban was passed in the Australian Parliament in November 2024, a survey revealed overwelling support among 77% of the Australians. The plan to fix the totk, Facebook, Snapchat, Redit, X, Instagram and now YouTube, 49.5 million Australian dollars (€ 27.7 million, $ 32.3 million) was supported by 87% of those to fail to block young people. Social media users and their parents will not be punished for any violations under the law.
Social media companies, including Elon Musk’s X, were estimated with the ban that many people want to be difficult for policy.
“It is completely likely that restrictions can be pushed young people to the darkness of the Internet where no community guidelines, security equipment or security exist,” when a tikok spokesman said.
Australian social media ban wants to partially protect young people Cyber-threatenedDisintegration and illegal materials that have taken away social media platforms. But some experts suspect whether the prohibition is a fire to determine young mental health.
Can a ‘good, simple solution’ solve a complex crisis?
Marilyn Campbell, a professor at the school of early childhood and inclusive education at the Queensland University of Technology, who writes on cyberbulling, that little research reflects a “cause” connection insight and psychological health.
“We know that there is a high relationship between the rise of new technologies and the increase in poor mental health of young people,” he said. “But we don’t know why yet.”
The study of a 2023 study sample in 72 countries found that “no evidence found that the global penetration of social media is associated with widespread psychological losses.”
Campbell said that although the populist psychology acts like “The Anuxius Generation”, which is a relationship between growing young anxiety and use of social media, they are heavy hypes in the media. Construction on the popularity of thesis, the government is now doing a “good, simple solution”, he told DW.
“You don’t have to spend any money on it,” he said about the ban. “It is not complicated.”
Researchers at the University of Queensland Comment How social media affects the mental health of young people, its limited understanding means other effects require, “Social inquiry,” climate anxiety “and search as” gender violence “.
Campbell suggested that instead of focusing on social media, governments need to “improve mental health system”, adding that “many more school ferrreslers and school psychologists” will help.
He said, “There are many things that they can do but it can spend money,” he said.
Can social media help young people?
The Australian government continues the use of social media and psychological conflicts of young people.
“We know that social media is doing social loss, and my government and this Parliament is ready to take action to protect the young Australians,” Australian Prime Anthony Albanis said on Wednesday that when YouTube Wilde is added to the list of banned platforms, it was announced that they have been abandoned.
Campbell said that social media can be positive for young people.
Write for Nature The magazine in January, he said that young people with autism or who are “searching for their sexual and gender identity” can sometimes identify more easier with online peers than a person.
He said that, like the prohibition of alcohol in the US, a restriction only forces to undergrade the problem.
The youth need to be ready to live in the “technically saturated world”, the professor told DW. “We are not doing the subject app by saying this, well, you cannot be in this world until you are 16 years old.”
Can age restrictions be implemented?
The Australian ban does not want to be effective by December. The testing, testing, is underway to address the complex task of implementing social media blackouts.
The platforms will not be allowed to force users to provide ID or digital identity by the government, but to confirm the age of the social media account holder, “optional age assurance methods” must be there.
A recent study has shown that some 80% of the surveyed are concerned about the accuracy of age assurance technologies and potential data secrecy violations.
Germany types growing support for social media ban
In the 2024 survey, some 77% German respondent said that they can support “to some extent” in support of social media bans like either “completely” or “to some extent” Australia.
Even in high percentage days, 82%, “full fixed” or “something certain” were that the use of social media is somehow bad for children and adolescents.
Therefore, many American states are limiting access to social media, including ensuring more and more parents guiding on the use of social media. For decades, the US requires technical companies to get parents’ consent to access the data of users under the age of 13 years.
Sweden is looking to ban access to smartphones in schools due to concerns about the decline in both mental and physical health.
In 2024, US Surgeon General Vivek Murari suggested that the warning label be added to social media platforms, which are similar to cigarettes and alcohol.
It can be found after a surgeon general report that some POS was found about the use of social media such as “the community and the connection with the share recognition, abilities and interests,” but therefore “symptoms of depression and anxiety” among teenagers spending social on social platforms on social platforms “.
Marily Campbell said that social media apps should not be banned, but designed to encourage safe conversations with young people.
“I think children need to be educated to live in the digital world,” he said.
Edited by: Elizabeth Granier
