Project Syndicate: Protection from Anti-Social Media
Australia has taken a big step forward in protecting children and young people by banning social media for under-sixteen-year-olds. Peter G. Kirchschlaeger calls for a broader, global regulation.
Social media such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook are essentially designed to cultivate dependency among users. This high potential for addiction leads to a greater risk of anxiety, depression or other mental-health issues, particularly among children and young people.
The seriousness of the situation is shown, for example, by the fact that young people themselves are pushing for greater protection in the area of social media. As a result of this year's session of the Youth Parliament of the Canton of Lucerne, a petition was submitted to the official Parliament of the Canton of Lucerne calling for greater protection of children and young people in social media through targeted awareness-raising of parents and the public.
In addition to their threatening effect on the psyche of children, young people and adults, social media have a destructive effect on entire societies through the spread of misinformation, "mistruth" and by reinforcing polarization.
According to Prof. Dr. Peter G. Kirchschlaeger, the collaboration of the international community and a new regulatory framework are urgently needed to regulate social media companies whose business models are based on the violation of fundamental rights.
To the article on Project Syndicate from December 02, 2024
