Social Media : Should there be an Age Limit?
Social media is a viral network where people can share and exchange information with each other. It has become a big part of life today. Children and teenagers are using it more and more because of the easy access to digital devices, peer pressure, and the desire to be social. However, there are some consequences. Social media has a negative impact on sleep and behavior. Moreover, it also negatively affects mental health along with concentration. They become so addicted that they don’t study or exercise. Additionally, people can also cyberbully other people using SNS. It is very concerning for children’s safety.
In fact, videos on TikTok encouraged children to commit suicide. So what are countries doing to stop these violent, unnecessary behaviors? Some parts of the world are setting an age-limit for social media. For example, recently Australia banned SNS to all children under the age of 16. Some countries in Europe are also planning to ban social media use under the age of 18. Before, the carers of the children who posted or did something harmful on social media were responsible. However, now the companies of SNS are responsible for it. If they don’t, they will have to pay a huge fine to the government. This change reflects the importance of safety online for children.
Although social media can create opportunities for creative expression, it especially has a negative impact on teenagers. WHO (World Health Organization) studies show that 13% of all teenagers can’t control their use of SNS. Furthermore, SNS makes teenagers lose confidence in themselves because of the excessive exposure to unrealistic standards of beauty and success on social platforms. As a result of this, it’s not surprising that countries all over the world are planning to make laws to protect young users.
In Norway, Florida, and in the UK, children under the age of 14 and 13 are not allowed to set up a profile on social media. Asian countries such as China and South Korea are trying to minimize the time on social media too. China decided to limit the daily time on social media to only 40 minutes. These actions show that more people should understand the need for age limits on children before it becomes an even bigger problem.
Technology has quickly improved since we invented smartphones. This sudden change has affected the whole wide world. Not only does it affect teenagers, but adults and seniors can become addicted too. From now on, everyone should consider this issue and discuss how to use technology more wisely. To create a healthier digital environment, we need to include everyone in the discussion about how to be responsible online. This is only the first step in this broader discussion.
Jool News 