Table of Contents
THE CONTEXT: The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has proposed setting a minimum age for social media platform usage, sparking a national debate. This policy decision emerged unexpectedly, primarily in response to increased online activity among children during the pandemic and growing concerns about potential harm to young users on social media platforms.
DRIVING FACTORS:
- Pandemic impact: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in children’s online time, raising concerns about their digital safety.
- Parental pressure: Parent groups have been instrumental in pushing for stricter regulations, demanding that technology platforms take greater responsibility for children’s online safety.
- Child protection: There is a growing recognition that some children are exposed to harm via social media, prompting calls for more robust safeguards.
- Identity crisis: A cycle of seeking validation through likes and engagement, leading to increased FOMO when not actively participating. A skewed perception of others’ lives, as people tend to share only their best moments. Creating a digital popularity contest that can affect self-esteem and social status.
POLITICAL DIMENSIONS
- Upcoming federal election: With an election approaching in 2025, the government is keen to address public concerns about children’s online safety.
- Media industry dynamics: Meta’s decision to stop paying news agencies for content distribution has created tension. The government’s stance on social media regulation may be influenced by a desire to maintain good relations with media conglomerates, particularly the Murdoch empire.
- Pressure on tech companies: The government is under pressure to demand that technology platforms assume greater responsibility for keeping children safe online, which may be driving the push for age restrictions.
THE ISSUES:
- Difficulties in enforcing age restrictions: Enforcing age limits on social media platforms presents significant challenges. The implementation of such restrictions is often unclear and difficult to execute effectively in a digital environment. Children are adept at circumventing barriers, making it challenging to enforce bans or age limits.
- South Korea’s “Cinderella Law” serves as a cautionary tale. This law banned gaming from midnight to 6:00 a.m. for children. However, it led to unintended consequences, such as identity theft, as children sought ways to access gaming platforms despite the restrictions.
- Burden on parents and digital literacy issues: Age restrictions often place an unreasonable burden on parents, particularly in countries with low digital literacy rates. In India, for example:
- 80% of children in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities help their parents navigate online platforms.
- Only 40% of Indians knew how to copy or move files on a computer in 2021, according to NSSO data.
- Shared device usage is common, complicating individual age verification.
- Parental Concerns and Education: Parents often feel overwhelmed by the task of managing their children’s digital engagements. This feeling is exacerbated by a highly inflammatory media environment that tends to focus on extreme cases of children experiencing significant harm online.
- ‘Sharenting’ and its implications: The practice of ‘sharenting’, where parents share extensive and potentially sensitive content about their children online, has become a significant concern. This practice raises important questions about children’s privacy rights and the potential long-term consequences of having their personal information widely available online.
- Children’s rights to data correction and erasure: Under India’s data protection law, every citizen has the right to correction and erasure of personal data. This provision may become particularly relevant as children grow older and seek to remove information that their parents shared about them during their minority without their consent.
- Child influencers and marketing contracts: The rise of child influencers on social media platforms has led to concerns about exploitation and the need for regulations. In India, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has issued guidelines requiring producers to obtain permission from district magistrates before a child can perform in any audio-visual content.
THE WAY FORWARD:
- Need for Balanced Reporting and Resources: To address parental concerns, there is a need to moderate the media debate. Provide parents with strong advice on keeping children safe online. Guidance on maximizing the value of online experiences. Research indicates that when parents support their children in maximizing the benefits of being online, it also helps mitigate potential harms
- Role of the Education System: There’s a need to strike a balance between incorporating digital skills and emphasizing traditional activities like physical sports and writing. Schools should teach children how to be resilient online as part of their core curriculum. This includes lessons on online conduct, recognizing danger signs and identifying unsafe situations.
- Comprehensive approach: While there have been scattered initiatives, the core curriculum in India, for example, does not yet include comprehensive lessons on online safety and digital citizenship. Some countries, like France, have implemented laws to protect child influencers’ earnings until they reach a certain age. There is a growing recognition of the need for similar regulations in India to safeguard the interests of child influencers and prevent potential exploitation by parents or guardians.
- Shift from Compliance to Designing Optimal Environments: Designing environments that are safe and beneficial for children to explore. Taking a proactive approach to child safety rather than just meeting minimum requirements. Considering the overall user experience for young people, not just protection from harm.
- Age Verification and Data Collection: Developing age assurance technologies that are both effective and respect user privacy. Balancing the need for identity verification with concerns about data collection. Considering the ethical implications of collecting more personal data, especially from minors.
- Balancing Safety Measures with Privacy: Utilizing technology to detect potential harm (e.g., self-harm indicators) while respecting user privacy. Implementing safety measures without excessive tracking or data collection. Ensuring transparency in how safety features work and what data they use.
- Design Changes and Transparency: Implementing design changes that enhance child safety and privacy, like those made by major platforms in response to the UK’s Age-Appropriate Design Code. Providing better default settings for children when they join the platform. Being transparent about the changes made and their impact on user behavior.
- Age-Appropriate Design Code: The UK’s Age-Appropriate Design Code, implemented in 2020, has shown promising results in improving online safety for children. It has prompted platforms to make significant changes to their design and functionality. The code focuses on creating better default settings for children when they join platforms. This approach aims to minimize risks for young users without resorting to outright bans.
- Platform Changes and Their Impact: A recent study found that major platforms like Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snapchat have implemented 128 changes related to child safety and privacy. These changes demonstrate that platforms can be incentivized to take responsibility for creating safer online environments for children. This approach allows children to continue benefiting from digital engagement while reducing potential harm.
THE CONCLUSION:
To improve child safety in the digital realm, shift focus from protection to creating optimal online environments for children. Develop comprehensive digital literacy curricula in schools to teach online resilience and safety. Explore balanced regulations for child influencers, potentially including financial protections.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTION:
Q.1 How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the educational system in the country? Elaborate your answer. 2020
Q.2 Child cuddling is now being replaced by mobile phones. Discuss its impact on the socialization of children. 2023
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q.1 Considering recent global debates on regulating children’s access to social media, critically examine the challenges and potential solutions for ensuring child safety in the digital age.
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