Reddit joins list of banned social media for under 16s in Australia; should Dubai follow suit?

In the era of information overload, social media plays the villain. The gatekeepers are generally parents who can’t often afford to cull screen time – it also eats into their chore/work time – and even though general guidelines point to users being 13 and above, this rule is rarely followed.

Australia has decided to do something about this, namely enforce the world’s first social media ban for kids under 16. The latest to fall under this remit is the chatty forum Reddit.

The current rules call for the socials of those under 13 to be monitored, but by making it the problem of the channels themselves – tech companies will soon be fined up to AUS $50 million if they don’t take reasonable action – its ensuring community-wide action.

The media affected are:

The idea, the government has said, is to shield vulnerable teens from the harmful effects of social media. A 2018 study found that 14-year-olds exposed to social media for over three hours a day are at risk of mental health problems, reports US-based Mayo Clinic. And experts point to the brain’s reward-punishment centre being affected by habitual use. Not to mention heightened anxiety and lowered self-esteem.

We asked parents in Dubai and here's what they had to say:

Dubai-based Zainul Barodawala, who has an eight-year-old son, says: “I think Australia has done the right thing by banning social media for kids under the age of 16, and Dubai should follow suit, because it is my job to protect my kid, right? And it's so difficult to protect them on the internet. Right now, it’s just me, there's only so much I can do.

"The world has become a scary place because of social media – we hear about so-called challenges resulting in deaths, kids bogged down by expectations, etc.”

Another Dubai-based dad, who has a 14-year-old daughter and who wanted only his first name used, Saurabh said: “There is no doubt social media is a very rich source of information and knowledge. At the same time, sometimes it is a source of misinformation and sometimes offers information that may be inappropriate for children under a certain age. While adults can avoid inappropriate or unwanted content with their discretion, it may be difficult for children under teens and of younger age to ascertain if a content from particular platform is harmful/inappropriate. Under the circumstances, it would be a good idea to have some check and restrictions, especially for children in their teens or younger.”

Have an opinion about the ban of social media for certain age groups? Write to us at readers@gulfnews.com.