The Social Media Ban Farce: How Australia Lost the Plot on Youth Protection
The proposed social media ban for under-16s in Australia is yet another spectacular example of our government’s knack for missing the point entirely. While scrolling through discussions about this latest policy announcement, I found myself getting increasingly frustrated at the sheer absurdity of it all.
Picture this: we’re living in a country where teenagers can’t watch YouTube videos about their homework or play online games with their friends, but they’re bombarded with gambling advertisements at every turn. The cognitive dissonance is staggering.
The other night, while watching the cricket with my son, we had to sit through no less than four betting advertisements in a single commercial break. Each one more aggressive than the last, promising “amazing odds” and “same game multis.” Meanwhile, our government thinks the real danger lurking in the digital shadows is… checks notes… kids watching Minecraft tutorials on YouTube?
This reminds me of the infamous internet filter debacle from years back. That $84 million masterpiece lasted about as long as it takes to change your DNS settings. Now we’re heading down the same path, but with even broader implications and more collateral damage.
The proposed definition of social media is so broad it could technically include everything from educational platforms to online chess games. My local library’s online catalogue has a review section – does that make it social media too? The lack of technical understanding behind these policies is mind-boggling.
What’s particularly galling is the government’s steadfast refusal to address the real issues affecting young Australians online. Gambling companies claimed $90 million worth of research tax credits in one year, while running predatory advertisements targeting young people. Yet somehow, this isn’t considered a priority for regulation.
Getting into Federation Square this morning, I overheard two teenagers discussing betting odds. Not Minecraft strategies or TikTok dances – betting odds. If that doesn’t signal where our priorities should lie, I don’t know what does.
The solution isn’t to build a digital wall around our youth. We need proper education about online safety, responsible technology use, and critical thinking skills. We need to address the real predatory behaviors targeting our kids – like gambling advertisements and loot boxes in games.
The digital world isn’t going away. Creating arbitrary barriers won’t protect our kids; it’ll just push them towards finding ways around these restrictions, potentially exposing them to even greater risks in the process.
Let’s stop pretending this is about protecting children and call it what it is: a poorly conceived policy that serves neither parents nor children. Our government needs to focus on real issues like the cost of living crisis and predatory gambling rather than playing digital nanny with ineffective bans.
Maybe then we can have a genuine conversation about protecting our youth in the digital age, rather than this performative political theatre that helps absolutely nobody.