Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 9
It’s important to note: social media can
have many pros. The online sphere can
encourage connection, allow people to
stay informed, and offer
entertainment. But with most things in
life, a negative can often be present.
But how does social media cause
harm?
Types of harms facing Aussie
kids on social media
There are many issues associated with
social media use. Exposure to
unrealistic beauty and body standards
can plague each platform, distorting
many people’s views on their own
body image – particularly young
people. Also, social media can create a
cauldron of comparing ourselves to
others, such as how we live, our
wealth status, and more, which can
induce negative feelings.
The Mayo Clinic says social media use
can adversely affect many of our
nation's youth by:
Causing distractions from work,
school and more.
Disrupting their sleep.
Spreading misinformation or
causing alarmism.
Manipulating views and beliefs.
Exposing Aussie youth to online
predators and creating increased
vulnerability.
Increasing the chances of bullying,
allowing people to reach their
victims outside of school, which
pervades every aspect of their
lives unchecked.
What the social media ban
intends to do & who will be
expected to prevent children
from using social media
With the above being of significant
concern, the ban will seek to reduce
and curb psychological and physical
harm. The Australian population has
also had their say. A recent YouGov
survey highlighted that 77% supported
a social ban for Aussie kids. But who
will be expected to monitor and
prevent Aussie kids from creating a
social media account?
The onus is not on parents or
guardians to mitigate social media use.
Instead, it will be on the social media
platforms themselves to limit
exposure. TikTok, Meta, Snapchat and
more will be legally bound to 8agerestrict9 their platform, essentially
precluding access for young people.
Should any breach occur, fines of up to
$49.5 million could be dished out to
said platforms. As a result, this
landmark legislation will be watched
by the world and used as a test case to
see if the change will prove effective.
