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From today, thousands of young Australians under the age of 16 will lose access to their accounts beyond ten social media platforms, such as ban on teen social media To come into force.
What do young people think about it? Our team of 14 leading researchers from across the country interviewed 86 youth from around AustraliaTo find out, those who are between 12 and 15 years of age.
youth voices matter
social media The ban, which was enacted into law 12 months ago, has attracted considerable media coverage and controversy.
But largely missing from these conversations are the voices of young people.
This is a problem because research shows that it is best practice to include the voices of young people to develop policy that upholds their rights and allows them to thrive in a digital world.
There is also evidence that when it comes to public policy relating to young people and their use of technology, the discussion often turns to familiar patterns of moral panic. This approach presents young people as vulnerable and in need of protection, leading to sweeping “reforms” without strong evidence of effectiveness.
‘My parents don’t really understand’
Our new research puts young people’s voices at the centre.
We asked 86 12-15-year-olds from across Australia what they thought about social media restrictions and what kinds of discussions they had about it. We also asked them how they use social media, what they like and don’t like about it, and what they think could be done to make it better for them.
Some of the youth we spoke to did not use social media, some used it occasionally, and others were highly active users. But they felt they were treated the same in conversations about the ban and failed to acknowledge the different ways they use social media.
Many also said they felt adults misunderstood their experiences. As one 13-year-old boy told us: “I feel like my parents don’t really understand, like they only understand the bad part of it, not the good side.”
Young people accept that the experiences of others may differ from theirs, but they feel that adults focus too much on the risks and not enough attention to the ways in which social media can be useful.
Many people told us they use social media to learn, stay informed and develop skills. It also helps with hobbies, as one 15-year-old girl said: “Even just like how to do something or like to make something, I’ll turn to social media for that.”
Social media also helps youth find community and make connections. This is where they find their people.
For some people, it provides representation and understanding they don’t get offline. It’s a place to explore their identity, feel affirmed, and experience a sense of belonging that they can’t always find in their everyday lives.
About the authors
Kim Osman is a Senior Research Associate in the Digital Media Research Center at Queensland University of Technology.
Linrose Jane Zenon is a PhD candidate in the Digital Media Research Center at Queensland University of Technology.
Michael Dezuani is Professor in the Digital Media Research Center at Queensland University of Technology.
This article is republished from Conversation Under Creative Commons license. read the original article,
One 12-year-old girl told us: “The ability to discover new interests and find community with people. That’s quite important to me. I don’t have that many queer or neurodivergent friends – some of my favorite creators are queer.”
Their social media lives are complex and they feel the ban is an overly simplistic response to the issues and challenges they face when using social media. As one 12-year-old boy said: “Banning [social media] Being completely straightforward makes the problem much more difficult to find a solution to. […] “It’s like taking the easy solution.”
So what do they think can be done to make social media a better place for them?
Micro restrictions and better education
Young people are not naïve about the risks. But most don’t think a one-size-fits-all age restriction is the solution. A 14-year-old boy echoed the views of many who want platforms to crack down on inappropriate and low-quality content: “I think instead of doing like a children’s version and an adult version, there should be stricter measures like strict restrictions on content and stronger enforcement towards restrictions.”
They also want to see more nuanced restrictions that are tailored to their different ages, and believe platforms should do more to make social media better for young people. As one 13-year-old boy said: “Make platforms more secure because they’re the kind of person who can have the biggest impact.”
Young people want to see more – and importantly, better – education about social media use that takes a more holistic approach and considers the positives that social media use can have for young people. A 15-year-old boy said: “I would love to [the government] Like implement more media literacy programs instead of just banning [social media] Overall, because it makes things more complicated in the long run.”
As restrictions on teen social media get closer and platforms begin enforcing the law, there are some practical things kids and teens can do to prepare for these changes.