Roughly two thirds of people on the planet use social media — and many simply cannot stop scrolling.
asserted
many → use → media
Here in the U.S., social media companies have settled lawsuits totaling billions, without admitting any wrongdoing.
asserted
companies → settle → wrongdoing
But Australia is trying something different.
asserted
Australia → try → something
Last year, it became the first country in the world to force many social media platforms to prevent children under the age of 16 from having accounts.
asserted
it → become → accounts
As we discovered, it's too soon to say if the experiment's working, but the stakes extend far beyond Australia.
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stakes → discover → Australia
If other countries follow its lead, it could decide what growing up looks like for future generations.
uncertain
growing → follow → generations
Should we try Snapchat?
asserted
we → try → Snapchat
Yeah, do you want to try and open a Snapchat account?
asserted
you → want → account
In Australia, social media platforms covered by the country's new law must take "reasonable steps" to stop him from opening or holding an account.
asserted
platforms → cover → account
"We're sorry to share that new local laws have placed restrictions on users under 16 accessing Snapchat."
asserted
laws → share → Snapchat
Social media companies are required to check the age of all users — or may face hefty penalties.
uncertain
companies → require → penalties
So what happens if you try to open, say, a TikTok account?
asserted
you → happen → account
So it straight away tells you you're not eligible--
Oscar Groves: You're not eligible.
asserted
You → tell → you
Australia is trying to control something that has transformed the lives of young people: the way they communicate, the information they're exposed to, even their entire experience of childhood.
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they → try → childhood
Study after study has shown the dangers.
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Study → show → dangers
A U.S. Surgeon General advisory reported that more than three hours of social media use a day can double the risk of mental health issues like depression and anxiety in children.
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hours → report → children
In the U.S., the titans of tech have been brought in front of Congress.
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titans → bring → Congress
Sen. Hawley: Don't you think they deserve some compensation for what your platform has done?
… to face families who said their young relatives had been exploited, abused or killed through their use of social media.
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relatives → think → media
There's families of victims here today, have you apologized to the victims?
asserted
you → be → victims
I -
Sen. Hawley: Would you like to do so now?
asserted
you → like → ?
Mark Zuckerberg: Well-
Sen. Hawley: Show him the pictures!
At that hearing in 2024, Mark Zuckerberg did then apologize.
asserted
Zuckerberg → show → 2024
It puts the legal responsibility on tech companies to protect children under 16 by keeping them off social media in the first place.
asserted
It → put → place
The plan was hatched in this home.
asserted
plan → hatch → home
Peter Malinauskas is the premier of the state of South Australia, the equivalent of a state governor in the U.S.
Two years ago, he announced a plan to ban children from using social media in his state of under 2 million people.
asserted
he → announce → people
It was his wife, Annabel West, who urged him to take action.
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who → urge → action
Holly Williams: did you feel that parents had-- had lost control?
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parents → feel → control
Annabel West: it sounded like it from the stories that I was hearing from other parents, once sort of those early teenagers got access to a phone, it became a bit of a downward spiral in terms of the use of-- and not being able to stop them.
asserted
it → sound → them
What made you think that you could take on these big tech companies?
uncertain
you → make → companies
If people are on your side, you can achieve anything and I was pretty confident that parents were on our side on this one.
asserted
parents → achieve → one
The vast majority of Australians are on his side, according to the polls.
uncertain
majority → accord → polls
When Malinauskas announced that his state would legislate – the Australian national government quickly followed suit, with bipartisan support.
asserted
government → announce → support
Malinauskas told us he never expected it to be a silver bullet.
asserted
it → tell → us
Peter Malinauskas: Kids are gonna find ways around it.
asserted
Kids → go → it
No different than a kid at 16 years old sneaking behind the shed and having a cigarette or a beer.
asserted
kid → sneak → cigarette
But they're doing it less than what they otherwise would if you didn't have a community standard in place.
asserted
you → do → place
It sounds as if you're saying that this is really about social engineering, changing people's behavior.
asserted
this → sound → behavior
Well, I think social media is the ultimate form of social engineering.
asserted
media → think → engineering
They are dictating who sees what when in a way that is unregulated, unchecked, and ultimately driven by the profit motive.
asserted
that → dictate → motive
When a corporate operator is engaging in social engineering, then I think the government's got a role to play to stop it.
asserted
government → engage → it
Lots of parents have concerns about social media.
asserted
Lots → have → media
…and 67 more, not listed.
The Aporia
