Dangers still lurk for young social media users in chatrooms like Roblox
3 weeks ago

Dangers still lurk for young social media users in chatrooms like Roblox

ABC  

MIKE LORIGAN, REPORTER: It’s a platform millions of kids use every day. MIKE LORIGAN: In September, a predator contacted this UK mother’s nine-year-old daughter on Roblox. This is the most important thing you’re going to hear all day to keep you safe on the game, okay, if you treat Roblox like it’s a giant shopping centre, if someone asks you to be boyfriend or girlfriend, if you see people laying around in their undies, someone offers you money to do something or someone asks you to follow them on to Snapchat or TikTok – you need to immediately tell your trusted adult, do you think you can do that for me? which is “exposing children to grooming, pornography, violent content and extremely abusive speech.” It’s a claim Matt Kaufman, Chief Safety Officer for Roblox, denies. MIKE LORIGAN: Games like ‘Survive Diddy’, ‘Escape to Epstein Island’, strip clubs, and other games encouraging violence were flagged with the company and taken down But when 7.30 logged on in November games like ‘Public bathroom’, and even ‘Throw Bricks at Homeless People’ were available.

Social Media Safety Game Victim Online Child Tiktok Think Users Reports Online Grooming Lorigan Mike Lorigan Roblox Kirra Pendergast Kirra Matt Kaufman Leanne Cooper Helen Schneider  dangers  pendergast  really  social  safety  roblox  users  lurk  lorigan  online  reports  think  chatrooms  child  media  game  young

History of this topic

How will Australia's under-16 social media ban work? We asked the law's enforcer
4 days, 23 hours ago

How will Australia's under-16 social media ban work? We asked the law's enforcer

NPR  

How will Australia's under-16 social media ban work? We asked the law's enforcer toggle caption Provided by the Australian eSafety Commission Australia passed one of the strictest internet crackdowns in the world last month, banning children under 16 from being on social media or opening new accounts. Sponsor Message Research that's examined the link between social media use and teens' …

Dutch MP will propose banning children under 15 from using social media
6 days, 23 hours ago

Dutch MP will propose banning children under 15 from using social media

NL Times  

Dutch political party D66 is advocating for a minimum age of 15 for social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. “Tech giants are harming children’s health because social media is deliberately designed to be addictive,” said D66 parliamentarian Hanneke van der Werf, according to RTL." “The Netherlands doesn’t let cigarette manufacturers determine and enforce age restrictions,” Van der …

Insider Q&A: High hopes for Australia social media ban and channeling parental ‘fury’ over tech
1 week ago

Insider Q&A: High hopes for Australia social media ban and channeling parental ‘fury’ over tech

Associated Press  

Julie Scelfo started MAMA — Mothers Against Media Addiction — earlier this year to help parents fight back against the harms of social media on children. A former journalist, Scelfo says she was inspired to take action after reporting on the youth mental health crisis and how screens and social media are affecting young people’s lives. Scelfo says the group …

Can parents get behind the Aussie ban on social media for kids?
1 week, 3 days ago

Can parents get behind the Aussie ban on social media for kids?

Live Mint  

“I wish I could move to Australia!" That was a sentiment expressed by a mother of two teen boys soon after she heard about Australia’s recent decision to bar children under 16 from using social media. Of course, parents need to set strict boundaries with children and not have to rely on a ban, but let’s face it, social media …

Sweden mulling online access age limits
1 week, 5 days ago

Sweden mulling online access age limits

China Daily  

Danish Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard, Minister of Justice in Sweden Gunnar Strommer, Minister of Justice in Norway Emilie Enger Mehl, and the Minister of Justice for the Faroe Islands Bjarni K. Petersen hold a doorstep about the recruitment of children and young people via social media for organized crime, at the Ministry of Justice in Copenhagen, Denmark, Dec 9, …

California to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sites
2 weeks ago

California to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sites

Associated Press  

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember …

Texas weighs social media bans for minors as schools and police face challenges
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Texas weighs social media bans for minors as schools and police face challenges

Associated Press  

As school districts struggle to control the spread of cyberbullying, sexual abuse images and online exploitation among their students, Texas lawmakers could consider banning social media from minors, among other sweeping measures, in the upcoming legislative session. While they welcome any efforts to reduce harm to children, school officials and cybercrime investigators say more needs to be done to hold …

Australia is banning social media for people under 16. Could this work elsewhere — or even there?
2 weeks, 5 days ago

Australia is banning social media for people under 16. Could this work elsewhere — or even there?

Associated Press  

It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history — one that experts say could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success: keeping kids off social media until they turn 16. “It’s clear that social media companies have to be held accountable, which is what Australia is trying to do,” …

Australia is banning social media for people under 16. Could this work elsewhere or even there?
2 weeks, 5 days ago

Australia is banning social media for people under 16. Could this work elsewhere or even there?

New Indian Express  

It is an ambitious social experiment of our moment in history — one that experts say could accomplish something that parents, schools and other governments have attempted with varying degrees of success: keeping kids off social media until they turn 16. Australia's new law, approved by its Parliament last week, is an attempt to swim against many tides of modern …

JUST SPAMMING | Can social media be kept out of the child's reach?
3 weeks, 2 days ago

JUST SPAMMING | Can social media be kept out of the child's reach?

Deccan Chronicle  

The latest news from down under is rather baffling. The Online Safety Amendment Act 2024 passed by the Australian Senate last week seeks to ban children below the age of 16 from using social media apps like TikTok, Facebook, Reddit, Snapchat, Instagram and X. Because in the Indian context, 70 per cent of the children access social media from their …

Australia BANS social media for kids under 16: A global first in online safety
3 weeks, 3 days ago

Australia BANS social media for kids under 16: A global first in online safety

India TV News  

Australia has become the first country to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. The rule aims to address the rising concerns about the mental health risks which are associated with excessive social media usage, which further includes addiction, cyberbullying and exposure to harmful content. Image Source : FILESocial …

Australia imposes world's-first ban on social media for children below 16 years
Top News
3 weeks, 3 days ago

Australia imposes world's-first ban on social media for children below 16 years

India Today  

In a landmark decision, Australia has passed a law that effectively bans social media usage for children under the age of 16, making it the first country to implement such sweeping regulations. The new law, which was passed in Parliament earlier this week, requires social media platforms to enforce stricter age verification measures, ensuring that children below 16 are unable …

Australia to ban under-16s from social media after passing landmark law
3 weeks, 4 days ago

Australia to ban under-16s from social media after passing landmark law

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Australia will ban children under …

Tech companies put on notice as Australia passes world-first social media ban for under-16s
3 weeks, 4 days ago

Tech companies put on notice as Australia passes world-first social media ban for under-16s

CNN  

Brisbane, Australia CNN — Australia’s parliament has passed a world-first law banning social media for children under 16, putting tech companies on notice to tighten security before a cut-off date that’s yet to be set. Under the new law, tech companies must take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-age users from accessing social media services or face fines of nearly 50 …

A social media ban in Australia for children under 16 will be first in the world
Top News
3 weeks, 4 days ago

A social media ban in Australia for children under 16 will be first in the world

NPR  

A social media ban in Australia for children under 16 will be first in the world toggle caption Rick Rycroft/AP MELBOURNE, Australia — A social media ban for children under 16 passed the Australian Senate Thursday and will soon become a world-first law. Sen. David Shoebridge, from the minority Greens party, said mental health experts agreed that the ban could …

Australia bans social media for children under 16, first country to do so
3 weeks, 4 days ago

Australia bans social media for children under 16, first country to do so

India Today  

Australia on Thursday passed into law a social media ban for children aged under 16 after an emotive debate that gripped the nation, setting a benchmark for jurisdictions around the world with one of the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech. Against the backdrop of a parliamentary inquiry through 2024 which heard evidence from parents of children who had self-harmed due …

Tech companies put on notice as Australia passes world-first social media ban for under-16s
3 weeks, 4 days ago

Tech companies put on notice as Australia passes world-first social media ban for under-16s

CNN  

Brisbane, Australia CNN — Australia’s parliament has passed a world-first law banning social media for children under 16, putting tech companies on notice to tighten security before a cut-off date that’s yet to be set. Under the new law, tech companies must take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-age users from accessing social media services or face fines of nearly 50 …

The Australian Senate debates the world’s first social media ban for children under 16
Top News
3 weeks, 5 days ago

The Australian Senate debates the world’s first social media ban for children under 16

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian Senate was debating a ban on children younger than 16 years old from social media Thursday after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly supported the age restriction. “The core focus of this legislation is simple: It demands that social media companies take reasonable steps to identify and remove underage users from their platforms,” Kovacic told the …

Australian father of teen sextortion victim backs banning young children from social media
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Australian father of teen sextortion victim backs banning young children from social media

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — Wayne Holdsworth became an advocate for banning Australian children younger than 16 from social media because his son took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam. “There is no evidence that banning young people from social media will work and to make it law in the form proposed is highly problematic,” X said. …

Australia should delay social media ban for children under 16, Big Tech says
4 weeks ago

Australia should delay social media ban for children under 16, Big Tech says

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — An advocate for major social media platforms told an Australian Senate committee Monday that laws to ban children younger than 16 from the sites should be delayed until next year at least instead of being rushed through the Parliament this week. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said she looked forward to reading the Senate committee’s assessment of the …

Australia rejects Elon Musk’s claim that it plans to control access to the internet
1 month ago

Australia rejects Elon Musk’s claim that it plans to control access to the internet

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — An Australian Cabinet minister on Friday rejected X Corp. owner Elon Musk’s allegation that the government intended to control all Australians’ access to the internet through legislation that would ban young children from social media. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Musk’s criticism was “unsurprising” after the government introduced to Parliament on Thursday legislation that would fine platforms including …

A social media ban for children younger than 16 is introduced in Australia’s Parliament
1 month ago

A social media ban for children younger than 16 is introduced in Australia’s Parliament

The Hindu  

Australia’s communications minister introduced a world-first law into Parliament on Thursday that would ban children younger than 16 from social media, saying online safety was one of parents’ toughest challenges. Michelle Rowland said TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram were among the platforms that would face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars for systemic failures to prevent …

Australia’s parliament considers legislation banning social media for under 16s
1 month ago

Australia’s parliament considers legislation banning social media for under 16s

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia’s communications minister introduced a world-first law into Parliament on Thursday that would ban children under 16 from social media, saying online safety was one of parents’ toughest challenges. One quarter have been exposed to content promoting unsafe eating habits.” Government research found that 95% of Australian care-givers find online safety to be one of their “toughest …

Is a “digital duty of care” enough to protect young people from social media’s harms?
1 month ago

Is a “digital duty of care” enough to protect young people from social media’s harms?

ABC  

Since the start of November, the Australian government has made two significant announcements aimed at addressing the harms that social media platforms are causing to the mental health of adolescents: that it will legislate a minimum age of 16 for access to social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X; that it will legislate a minimum age of 16 …

Australia’s plan to ban children from social media proves popular and problematic
1 month, 1 week ago

Australia’s plan to ban children from social media proves popular and problematic

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — How do you protect children from the harms of social media? The Australian government’s plan to ban children from social media platforms including X, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram until their 16th birthdays is politically popular. More than 140 such experts signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemning the 16-year age limit as “too blunt …

Australia's plan to ban children from social media proves popular and problematic
1 month, 1 week ago

Australia's plan to ban children from social media proves popular and problematic

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The Australian government’s plan to ban children from social …

How early, unsupervised social media exposure harms children
1 month, 1 week ago

How early, unsupervised social media exposure harms children

India Today  

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese, on November 7, announced that children under the age of 16 will be banned from using social media as part of efforts to protect the mental health of the young. Several child and teen suicides or accidents have been recorded globally due to following social media trends, such as the ice bucket challenge, planking, blue …

Under 16s will be banned from using social media, Australia announces
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Under 16s will be banned from using social media, Australia announces

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Social media is doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it,” Australian prime minister …

Australia bans social media use for children below 16; know harmful effects of social media, tips to prevent overuse
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Australia bans social media use for children below 16; know harmful effects of social media, tips to prevent overuse

Hindustan Times  

The Australian Government, on Thursday, announced that the age limit for children to start using social media is 16. According to a report by Associated Press, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pointed out the harmful impact of social media on children. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pointed out the harmful impact of social media on children. Harmful effects of social media on …

Australia plans a social media ban for children under 16
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Australia plans a social media ban for children under 16

Associated Press  

MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian government announced on Thursday what it described as world-leading legislation that would institute an age limit of 16 years for children to start using social media, and hold platforms responsible for ensuring compliance. “Social media is doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. The Digital Industry …

Australia proposes social media ban for children under the age of 16
Top News
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Australia proposes social media ban for children under the age of 16

NPR  

Australia proposes social media ban for children under the age of 16 toggle caption MICK TSIKAS/AAP MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian government announced on Thursday what it described as world-leading legislation that would institute an age limit of 16 years for children to start using social media, and hold platforms responsible for ensuring compliance. Sponsor Message The Digital Industry Group …

How to talk to your children about staying safe on the internet
1 month, 3 weeks ago

How to talk to your children about staying safe on the internet

The Independent  

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. …

Children and young teenagers could be banned from using social media, minister says
3 months, 1 week ago

Children and young teenagers could be banned from using social media, minister says

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Children in the …

Online gaming sites would need to prove they are 'a force for good' to be exempt from SA's social media ban
3 months, 1 week ago

Online gaming sites would need to prove they are 'a force for good' to be exempt from SA's social media ban

ABC  

After struggling to form new friendships in high school during the pandemic, Lee Ann Phie found a supportive community through online video gaming. What we know about the promise to ban children from social media Photo shows Picture of a smartphone screen with apps including facebook, instagram and youtube A social media ban that could capture the most popular video …

I was sexually groomed online at age 12 - here's what I experienced that parents and kids must know
3 months, 2 weeks ago

I was sexually groomed online at age 12 - here's what I experienced that parents and kids must know

Daily Mail  

A victim of online grooming has come forward to share a warning to parents and kids about the dangers of the internet. But the stranger soon began exposing him to pornography and videos of self-harm Above, Haynes today attending a a protest at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California. As a 20-year-old college student, Haynes has come forward to tell his …

Campaign to protect children online
5 months, 1 week ago

Campaign to protect children online

China Daily  

Campaign to protect children online China's top internet regulator has launched a two-month campaign to protect children online during the summer vacation, targeting e-commerce predators and inappropriate content. The crackdown follows a controversy last year that occurred when China Central Television exposed e-commerce platforms selling nude scale model toys to children age 7 to 14. A report on juvenile internet …

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids
6 months ago

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids

Associated Press  

At what age should kids be on social media? For years, there has been a push among parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones — and access to social media — until they are older, such as the “Wait Until 8th” pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until …

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids

The Hindu  

At what age should kids be on social media? For years, there has been a push among parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones — and access to social media — until they are older, such as the “Wait Until 8th” pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until …

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids

Associated Press  

At what age should kids be on social media? For years, there has been a push among parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones — and access to social media — until they are older, such as the “Wait Until 8th” pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until …

A realistic way to protect kids from social media? Find a middle ground
6 months, 2 weeks ago

A realistic way to protect kids from social media? Find a middle ground

Associated Press  

Ahmed Othman isn’t on TikTok and doesn’t want to be. “They really tried to emphasize social media is a tool, but can also be like your worst enemy if you so make it,” Othman said. Othman’s parents took a middle ground approach that a growing number of experts say is the most realistic and effective way of teaching children about …

Staying off social media can be challenging. These teens also find it liberating
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Staying off social media can be challenging. These teens also find it liberating

Associated Press  

WESTPORT, Conn. — Kate Bulkeley’s pledge to stay off social media in high school worked at first. “Social media is now the air kids breathe,” says Rich, who runs the hospital’s Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders. WHEN IT’S EVERYWHERE, IT’S HARD TO AVOID At school, on the subway and at dance classes around New York City, Gabriela is …

Editorial: Social media companies refuse to safeguard kids. It’s up to lawmakers now
8 months ago

Editorial: Social media companies refuse to safeguard kids. It’s up to lawmakers now

LA Times  

From state capitols to Washington, D.C., lawmakers are scrambling to come up with regulations that can protect kids from the potential harms of social media, since the platforms have been unwilling to adopt reasonable safeguards themselves. In just the last few months, Florida passed a law banning children under age 14 from having a social media account, Iowa legislators backed …

Younger children increasingly online and unsupervised, Ofcom says
8 months ago

Younger children increasingly online and unsupervised, Ofcom says

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In its annual study of children’s relationship with the …

Quarter of children under seven own smartphones
8 months ago

Quarter of children under seven own smartphones

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In its annual study of children’s relationship with the media and online worlds, Ofcom said the number …

Instagram’s Pedophile Problem
9 months, 1 week ago

Instagram’s Pedophile Problem

Slate  

As the debate around child safety online rages on, an investigation by The New York Times found a seedy world of pedophiles interacting with child influencer accounts, often run by their parents, on Instagram. Meta sent a statement that said, in part: “Child exploitation is a horrific crime and online predators are determined criminals. We use sophisticated technology, hire child …

Majority of boys aged 11-14 ‘exposed to online content that promotes misogyny’
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Majority of boys aged 11-14 ‘exposed to online content that promotes misogyny’

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Every parent knows being online …

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids

Associated Press  

Social media CEOs got grilled by Senate lawmakers this week in an emotional and often heated hearing about the dangers their platforms pose to children — sexual predators, videos encouraging suicide and glorifying eating disorders, bullying and addictive features, just to name a few. To comply, social media companies have generally banned kids under 13 from signing up for their …

To protect kids, California might require chronological feeds on social media
10 months, 3 weeks ago

To protect kids, California might require chronological feeds on social media

LA Times  

Social media companies design their feeds to be as gripping as possible, with complicated algorithms shuffling posts and ads into a never-ending stream of entertainment. A new California law would require companies to shut off those algorithms by default for users under 18, and implement other mandated tweaks that lawmakers say would reduce the negative mental health effects of social …

UK Government Considers Social Media Restrictions for Under-16s
1 year ago

UK Government Considers Social Media Restrictions for Under-16s

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad: The UK government, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is contemplating potential restrictions on social media access for teenagers below the age of 16 in a bid to safeguard them from online harm. Despite the implementation of the Online Safety Act, mandating social media platforms to shield minors from harmful content or face fines up to 10% of global …

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