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How do teens feel about the new social media ban? Some see the risks, others feel unfairly targeted. A candid discussion about online harm, parental involvement, and self-esteem. #SocialMediaBan #TeenOpinion #OnlineSafety #DigitalWellbeing
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0:01
Let's begin this with a show of hands
0:03
first. Who believes this social media
0:05
ban is a good thing? Show of hands. Who
0:09
believes it's a bad thing?
0:13
Who's still a bit confused by it or
0:14
doesn't quite know how it's all going to
0:16
work?
0:18
In my opinion, I think the teenagers
0:20
will find a way around it.
0:22
I sincerely believe several parents will
0:24
help their kids get around the ban. They
0:26
yeah they don't agree with it and they
0:28
will get their parents to actively use
0:32
their own ID or use their own face to
0:35
prove that the account is owned by an
0:38
adult when rather it's actually owned by
0:41
the child.
0:43
Show of hands. Who's been exposed to
0:45
harmful content whether they liked it or
0:47
not? It just appeared on some of your
0:48
social media platforms.
0:51
Yeah, a few of you.
0:52
For example, X. I feel like that's a
0:54
very bad I've had a very bad experience
0:58
on that platform because I'm seeing
1:00
stuff I don't want to see. I think I
1:01
deleted it 5 minutes within installing
1:04
it.
1:04
And I know many people from personally
1:07
that their parents are very involved
1:09
with their social media use, they have
1:11
set limitations. Whereas if you go to a
1:15
family whose parents are not involved in
1:17
social media, it's very highly likely
1:19
that that person misuses. Social media
1:22
has been really helpful and I think they
1:26
should recognize that it's been really
1:29
hard to try and get off like that is
1:33
very disappointing for people who are
1:35
younger than 16 who are mature and have
1:39
been on social media for their whole
1:41
lives. But I
1:43
So even if you've been a responsible
1:45
social media user, you're still being
1:47
hit with the ban. Is that your point?
1:48
Yes. People
1:49
And do you think that's unfair? Yeah, I
1:51
do think that's unfair because people
1:53
like me, I say I'm mature and a lot of
1:55
others who are in year seven, we are
1:57
mature and at the age of where we can
1:59
recognize what's good, what's bad, but
2:01
to over 16 years old, they still people
2:05
can be mature, but they can also be less
2:08
mature than us. In the end, I strongly
2:11
believe that the government did make a
2:12
good choice in like implementing this
2:15
ban, but I believe that other people are
2:18
affected by it or maybe upset about it
2:20
is because
2:22
kids under the age of 16 didn't really
2:24
get to real say on it. I just wanted to
2:26
finish off by saying how most kids, not
2:29
all though, uh when they're like on Tik
2:32
Tok and Snapchat, they're looking at
2:34
other people's posts and they're
2:36
thinking, "Oh, I want to be like her or
2:38
I want to be like him or how come he has
2:40
that?" And it's just a like losing their
2:44
self-esteem and like changing their
2:46
whole personality.
2:47
It's a very good point. Very good point
2:49
to end on too. So, thank you very very
2:50
much. really intelligent discussion and
2:53
a good mix of opinions and I think
2:54
you've helped all of us understand a
2:56
little bit more about what you're all
2:57
about to go through as a result of this
2:59
social media ban.
3:02
For families looking for more guidance,
3:04
head to 7news.com.au/social
3:07
media ban. Tomorrow night, the next
3:09
installment of our series, Exposing the
3:11
Hidden Harm, showing just how addictive
3:14
social media has become for young
3:15
Australians and why some experts say
3:17
it's as bad as drugs.
#Government
#Teen Interests
#Sensitive Subjects