Australian Prime Minister on Tuesday shared his plans to bring in a federal legislation to ban kids from social media like Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook. The proposal seeks imposing age limits of 14 to 16 years on all social media. The intent, the Prime Minister shared, was to ‘get the kids off their devices and onto footy fields’.
Times Now reached out to School Principals, Teachers and Parents in India to seek their opinion on the move and whether similar restrictions were needed in the country. While most agreed on the menace of social media, a blanket ban was not seen as a possible solution.
“The ban on Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok for children up to 16 years is a well-intended move as screen addiction is for real. The chemical addiction triggered by social media content makes them spend more time on the apps and drastically curtails their engagement in activities that are required and better for them such as playing or reading books. Ideally, no phones or social media should be accessible to children until the age of 15 years because their brains are still developing and are not equipped to handle the constant stimulation and influx of data available on social media. However, with the reliance on online education that peaked during the pandemic, the lines between social media and being tech-savvy have become blurred, making it unreasonable for children to cope. We must make conscious and concerted efforts to bring back time to play, read, and other fun activities in the children’s life and ensure schools are designed to implement them,” says Ms. Kirti Sharma, Co- CEO Crimson Schools.
Similar sentiments were shared by Ms. Reema Rai, Principal, AIS. “Social Media is not monitored and poses considerable threat to children. Not only are they spending more time online, they are also susceptible to genuine risks of cyber-bullying and crimes against children like morphed photos and more. With AI, social media has become as scary as a dark alley for a child. Given all that, Australia’s policy is a welcome move. However, merely political intent would not help. Driving below 18 years is illegal and yet parents give cars to their kids. What is needed is a stronger intervention from parents. Social Media is a collective social responsibility and must be handled socially and not merely politically.”
Dr. Bindu Sharma, Principal, Delhi Public School (GF) also agreed that the move by Australia was positive amid rising impact of social media on child’s growth and development. She, however, believes that a balance in the approach is required and a blanket ban may not be the answer.
“Social media impacts children’s emotional and social development, contributing to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Excessive screen time is linked to cognitive delays and impaired social skills. Early exposure to inappropriate content can cause psychosocial difficulties and hinder moral development. Moderation and parental supervision are key to managing these risks,” she shared.
She however insists on educating the teenagers rather than banning the access. She insists that schools must take part in educating the kids about the IT Act, safe cyber navigation, mental health and digital addiction as well as cyber crimes. “A blanket ban on social media for younger children may be a practical measure, but for adolescents, a balanced approach is essential. Combining selective restrictions with education on effective and responsible social media use empowers young people to navigate the digital world safely while benefiting from its positive aspects,” she added.
Speaking on the topic, Dominic Tomalin, Founding Headmaster of Shrewsbury International School India felt that though the guideline was good, banning it in India was not suggested. “This is not just about digital behavior amongst children but about child protection as well. While many may say that behavior change is not a function of law and restrictions, but in case of children below 16, where spending time on social media has become almost a way of life for many children — scrolling through videos of cuddly cats and wacky dances for hours a day, it is.” he said.
However, he is also of the opinion that gradual ‘laddering of restrictions’ is important. “This is a critical developmental period marked by peer influence and inaugural access to mobile devices.While experts are just beginning to understand social media’s impact on children, one study by Linda Charmaraman, Alicia, Amanda and Jennifer, shows that children younger than 11 years old who use Instagram and Snapchat are more likely to have problematic digital behaviors like having online-only friends and visiting sites parents would disapprove of, as well as a greater chance of taking part in online harassment. It is critical to monitor the social media usage by children under 11 particularly in India by monitoring sites, Devices locking devices etc. Since ages, law has always tried to catch up with humanity. Thus it is imperative to bolster counseling in schools, parental norms and alternative practices of outdoor sports.”
As for the parents, the vote was divided. While many parents agreed that there should be a limit, the age of 16 years was not a consensus. “Restricting a child would only make them more creative in finding ways around it. Banning is not the answer, but I think educating my child and monitoring the social media usage is the better route,” shared Shreya Bannerjee, the mother of two teenagers aged 17 and 13.
Sudhanshu, who works in a leading IT Firm also agreed that the ban was perhaps a good thing but presented doubts on its implementation. “How do you check? Even if I was to impose an age limit, my child can access my social media account. Now schools have facebook pages and instagram pages and they ask kids to follow them! I work in the domain and I would really like to see how it is implemented before I comment on whether it is good or bad. Because without proper implementation, all policies are just a waste of time!”
In conclusion, the increasing concerns over social media's impact on children is a truth no onne denies. While policy checks are necessary, the time has come for institutions to start taking prudent measures in tackling the concerns. Meanwhile, Times Now believes that the responsibility also rests with the service providers of these social media channels towards our children. Technology is important and access to it can improve lives. But the responsibility is of all and all must partake in it.