"The backlash building up against social media now is unmistakable, as guilt over all those hours wasted scrolling meets growing alarm at the ugly and dystopian world big tech has helped create. Only last week the Labour MP Jess Asato, a government adviser on violence against women, described how an X user had created an AI-generated video of her being chloroformed and prepared for rape. Who wants their 14-year-old daughter hanging out somewhere that happens?"
"Though teens mostly prefer TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat to X, it's the grim excesses of the platform under Elon Musk that have shaken many adults out of complacency. Parents are beguiled by tales of Australian kids rediscovering bike rides and board games, after under-16s were banned from social media just in time for the antipodean summer. Teachers sick of dealing with the fallout from adolescent social media beef, or the inevitable after-effects of kids staying up all night on their phones, want action."
French lawmakers voted to ban under-15s from social media, prompting a wider backlash against big-tech platforms and their influence on children. A high-profile episode involved an AI-generated video depicting a politician being chloroformed and prepared for rape, intensifying fears about online harm. Teens still favor TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, but excesses on X under Elon Musk have alarmed adults. Reports from Australia suggest under-16 bans increased outdoor activities. Teachers and parents are pressing for action over sleep loss and online disputes. Political figures across parties are debating a ban, while the government has hesitated and Conservatives have proposed amendments to force the issue.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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