From an ethical perspective, the ban aims to protect young people from harm, such as cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, and addiction. This follows the principle of safeguarding, as children may not yet have the maturity to manage online risks. However, it could also be argued that the ban limits young people’s freedom of expression and access to online communities. For some teenagers, social media is an important space for identity, support, and communication, so removing access may negatively impact their wellbeing.
In terms of legal issues, enforcing a ban would be challenging. Laws would need to clearly define age restrictions and place responsibility on companies to verify users’ ages. This raises questions about how platforms would comply with regulations and what penalties they would face if they fail. Additionally, there may be conflicts with existing rights, such as freedom of expression and access to information, depending on the country’s legal framework.
The privacy implications are also significant. To enforce age restrictions, social media companies may need to collect more personal data, such as ID verification or biometric information. This could increase the risk of data breaches or misuse of sensitive information. Collecting more data about young users may contradict the goal of protecting them, as it exposes them to further digital risks.
Lesson duration is: 60 min
