In the modern age, it is normal for us to use phones and other means of technology on a daily basis – most of us would say that they are a necessity to get through everyday life.
We use our phones to stay in touch with friends and family, organise our days, entertain ourselves, and do work.
And because they are such a big part of our society, often even the youngest know how to use them or even have their own smartphone, tablet, laptop, or other gadget.
But this has sparked debate regarding the dangers of technology and the use of social media by children and teenagers.
Phone addiction linked to developmental, psychological effects
Many studies show that excessive use of social media can damage the mental health and cognitive functioning of children and have a negative effect on their ability to learn as well as their emotional development.
Moreover, the average person spends over 4.6 hours on their phone daily.
This is deemed a sign of digital dependency and can impact mental health, relationships, productivity, and sleep.
The Nexus Teen Academy, meanwhile, has found that for teenagers there is a “compulsive need” to stay connected with others.
Such a drive can affect their overall wellbeing, academic success, and self-esteem.
In 2022, a study published in Frontiers in Public Health found that being addicted to short video apps like TikTok has a negative effect on children’s learning motivation and their psychological wellbeing.
The research noted that overindulging in the viewing of videos led to “reduced intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to learn and diminished overall learning happiness”.
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Australia and other countries are taking action
In order to protect teenagers from these dangers, some countries are taking action with newly implemented laws and regulations regarding the use of certain websites that the government and experts deem harmful.
Australia, for example, has recently decided to ban teenagers under a certain age from using social media sites such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit, and Twitch, amongst others.
From December 10, 2025, the Australian government will require the platforms on the list to ensure that children under the age of 16 are unable to open accounts – and any existing accounts by people below that age must be closed.
The government states that a failure to implement “reasonable steps” to enforce this will result in a significant fine.
Australia is not the only country to bring in some sort of ban for teenagers though.
Denmark, Norway, France, Spain, Japan, India, and Pakistan have likewise implemented ways of protecting younger citizens from the negative influences of social media.
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Lack of age checks on many sites
Many websites, it must be said, do not take age verification seriously enough.
Countless sites have no appropriate checks in place, which results in people below the required age creating accounts and getting access to inappropriate content.
Those with sexually explicit material spark particular concern.
Indeed, a BBC Jersey survey showed that one in 10 children have accessed adult pornography before they reach the age of nine.
The UK has since introduced age verification on porn sites in an attempt to combat the issue, but that type of content can also be found in other places.
AI has only amplified the problem as, in addition to real sexually explicit content, children now have access to deep fakes and the tools for creating them.
Independent UK regulator Ofcom has accordingly launched an investigation into Itai Tech Ltd., a company that provides AI tools that allow users to edit pictures, including in a way that removes the individual’s clothing.
Ofcom fined the company £55,000 for failing to have proper age checks in place as well as failing to provide information during the investigation.
Suzanne Cater, the director of enforcement at Ofcom, said: “The use of highly effective age assurance to protect children from harmful pornographic content is non-negotiable and we will accept no excuses for failure.
“Any service which fails to meet their age-check duties under the Online Safety Act can expect to face robust enforcement action, including significant fines.”
Arguably, those types of software, apps, programmes, and sites should be banned altogether because they not only have a negative effect on children and teens, but also pose a societal threat as images like that can be abused and used to commit crimes.
However, even though the UK government is said to be looking into banning ‘nudifying’ apps in the near future, this is a global issue and something more needs to be done about it.
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