https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/dec/14/rishi-sunak-considers-curbing-social-media-use-under-16s
Reports suggest a ban is among potential options to protect young people from online harm
I wholeheartedly support this dumbass decision. Nothing makes youngsters learn basic computing better than a ban that can be arbitralily overcome using basic networking skills.
The Online Safety Act has taught the Tories that they can get away with anything if they can spin it as "think of the children". I expect to see more draconian limiting of speech under this same guise.
ETA: and after reading the article, the argument of protecting kids mental health is BS. If they cared about mental health they'd fund the NHS so that wait times to see a psychiatrist/therapist reflected the urgency. Social media might add fuel to the fire, but depression doesn't just magically go away if you delete your accounts.
aka "please do not hang around with your peer and get woke, please only get the views by your tory parents and after that, go into social media and defend the things your parents indoctrinated you with"
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Rishi Sunak is considering limiting social media access for teenagers under the age of 16 to try to protect them from online harm, with reports suggesting a potential ban is on the cards.
The government is considering further action despite bringing in the Online Safety Act, which requires social media platforms to shield children from harmful content or face fines of up to 10% of a company’s global revenue.
Beeban Kidron, a cross-bench peer and influential campaigner for children’s online safety, said: “The vast majority of social media is designed in a way that makes it addictive, polarising and parades unrealistic lifestyles of desire – so it ends up being a lousy place to spend your teenage years.
The prime minister’s deputy official spokesperson did not comment on the specific proposals but told reporters: “We are looking broadly at this issue of keeping children safe online.”
Charities and campaigners have been calling for more robust online safety regulation since 2017, and the legislation took a lengthy route before finally receiving royal assent in the autumn.
This is really a question about ability to intercept and to ultimately investigate, bring to justice, people who are engaging in child abuse,” Hinds told Times Radio on Thursday.
The original article contains 572 words, the summary contains 204 words. Saved 64%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
Tories again saying / doing anything to look helpful to their core supporters. Tories largely supported by voters over 65. Over 65's more likely to vote than younger people and more likely to view new social media as a scourge (whilst still using Facebook).