Children using social media has been considered problematic for quite some time now because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up causing a wide range of mental health issues among other problems. While this is a commonly held view, actually doing something about it is a step by step process that has only just begun. However, many major governments have started taking steps in this regard, and the UK has just released a bill that could move things in the right direction with all things having been considered and taken into account.
Rachel de Souza, commissioner for the Office of Children in England, has led the charge here, and major British politicians have urged social media companies like Facebook and TikTok to start releasing data regarding how many children use their platforms. This is part of a series of talks, and it turns out that many tech companies have actually agreed to do the right thing here at the very least to a certain extent. Other things have been discussed to, such as adding settings to social media apps that would give parents more control over how their children might end up using it.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that this is not the same as legislation being passed. A bill that’s meant to protect children on social media will be passed soon, but these talks have come before the legislation gets to Parliament so that the whole procedure can go smoothly. The fact that social media platforms are willing to cooperate is heartening, and it might result in a situation where children can be prevented from having to go through the harmful effects that can often come through social media use at too young an age.
H/T: TG.
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Rachel de Souza, commissioner for the Office of Children in England, has led the charge here, and major British politicians have urged social media companies like Facebook and TikTok to start releasing data regarding how many children use their platforms. This is part of a series of talks, and it turns out that many tech companies have actually agreed to do the right thing here at the very least to a certain extent. Other things have been discussed to, such as adding settings to social media apps that would give parents more control over how their children might end up using it.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that this is not the same as legislation being passed. A bill that’s meant to protect children on social media will be passed soon, but these talks have come before the legislation gets to Parliament so that the whole procedure can go smoothly. The fact that social media platforms are willing to cooperate is heartening, and it might result in a situation where children can be prevented from having to go through the harmful effects that can often come through social media use at too young an age.
Read next: WhatsApp Actively Shares User Information With Intelligence Agencies, Without Consent And In Direct Violation Of Meta/Facebook's Own Claims About Encryption