Moral Maze Should children be banned from social media?
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Dec 11, 2025 Jennifer Powers, founder of the Unplugged Coalition, advocates for a smartphone-free childhood and supports strong measures to protect children online. Timandra Harkness offers a counterpoint, arguing that social issues predate technology and promoting education over bans. James Williams discusses the persuasive design of tech and the need to realign these platforms with human interests. Tony D Sampson critiques blanket bans, warning they might drive usage underground while calling for better media literacy. The conversation examines balancing regulation with children's agency.
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Australia's Ban Is A Global Test
- Australia's under-16 social media ban is being watched globally as a novel regulatory move.
- The ban reframes social media as a public-health and moral question, not just tech policy.
Use Multiple Protective Measures
- Create layered protections: bans, curfews, device regulation, and smartphone-free schools.
- Use supervised, semi-supervised access in home and school rather than unsupervised accounts.
Limit Unsupervised Access
- Allow children's tech use only in supervised or semi-supervised settings like school and home.
- Resist unsupervised, individual social-media accounts for underage users.
