Simone van der Hof: ‘Banning social media solves nothing’
The Australian Parliament recently passed a law banning social media for children younger than 16. This solves nothing, argues Simone van der Hof, Professor of Law and Digital Technologies, in Dutch newspaper NRC. ‘Platforms have to abide by the law.’
Research shows a link between social media use and deteriorating mental health in young people. Australia has therefore passed a law banning social media for children younger than 16. Here in the Netherlands, too, voices are being heard in parliament to introduce similar measures.
According to Professor Van der Hof, this is a bad idea: ‘If you ban children from social media then you block a whole part of their lives, including the positive aspects that social media may also have.’ In this way, children become victims of failing government policies, she argues. 'Platforms have to abide by the law. And they need to become less complex. Because a lot of things are hidden. For example, you don't know what data about you is being used. So, you have no grip on that either.'
More information?
Read the full article (in Dutch) in NRC (€)
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