by Freddie111 on 4/30/23, 6:54 AM with 103 comments
by htag on 4/30/23, 8:37 AM
* Whatever verification system a user has to do to prove they are older than 13 will also being to freak users out about 'whoes listening'. It's insane to think a First Name, Last Name, and Address might be tied to _every reddit account_.
* That data will be used for government surveillance. Maybe I should start creating a hat out of metallic kitchen supplies, but I largely think 'how can we spy on more Americans" has been a central political battle fought over the last 3 decades. It's a long fight, not over.
* This could cause all users to stop adopting these public networks, and and move to underground networks. Some underground networks will just normal application with some social space that aren't targeted. Some might be based on traditional dark-web style services. Others might be based on something more web3-y.
by michael9k on 4/30/23, 8:02 AM
One could wish the adults/parents would limit this themselves, but sadly this is seldom the case. For some reason it seems most parents really are clueless to the level of harm imposed by social media to their kids?!
by hnlmorg on 4/30/23, 7:56 AM
If we can find a way to declaw social networks then we’d have a healthier ecosystem for all ages.
But this is a much harder problem to solve.
by jqpabc123 on 4/30/23, 7:23 AM
by rhaway84773 on 4/30/23, 7:27 AM
I mean, I’m all in favor of the goals of this bill. I think social media is a horrible negative for people of all ages, but especially children since they largely don’t have the mental capability to defend against the smartest people in the world trying to hijack their brains.
But I can’t see how a “social media” ban can actually work. And im not even sure it’s actually better than parental education and information.
by endisneigh on 4/30/23, 10:19 AM
This is why I generally do not support any bans dictated by the government.
In this case it’s difficult to find a reasonable solution that’s not draconian. You could tell parents to use screen limiting tools but those are unlikely to be used by the parents whose children need it the most.
Perhaps making social media require a $1/year fee with it being returned to you after 6 months would stop the vast majority of children.
by TheAceOfHearts on 4/30/23, 7:47 AM
Surely we could come up with a solution that isn't an outright ban? Especially as technology has become so commonplace and many of our social interactions happen in digital spaces.
In any case, maybe it would be interesting to evaluate how other countries have approached these problems. I know that in South Korea you need a government ID to play certain multiplayer videogames, it would be interesting to explore the impact of these systems and what lessons can be gleamed.
Since I'm not a parent myself I haven't really considered the problem domain with much care or consideration, but maybe some hacker parents could share their thoughts and insights as they've dealt with the existing ecosystem?
by mormegil on 4/30/23, 7:40 AM
by bdcravens on 4/30/23, 7:34 AM
by Dalewyn on 4/30/23, 8:44 AM
Personal anecdata, way back in the 90s in my childhood, a games website I used to frequent actually demanded potential users (read: kids) under 13 years old to fax in written consent from the parents to collecting information. Websites used to actually take COPPA seriously back then.
If this bill makes compliance to COPPA more stringent, well, the law already mandated it anyway. Kids and can't-be-arsed parents will find workarounds, no doubt, and the world will keep spinning.
As an aside, I would rather the US government handle identification (they already have all the goods anyway) than the likes of GAFA.
by 226_ebro_treaty on 4/30/23, 7:36 AM
by bigbacaloa on 4/30/23, 8:39 AM
by crooked-v on 4/30/23, 7:36 AM
by bentt on 4/30/23, 12:38 PM
by traveler01 on 4/30/23, 10:11 AM
This decisions should only be up to the parents, not someone in DC...
by dirtyid on 4/30/23, 10:28 AM
by jacquesm on 4/30/23, 10:38 AM
by sycamoretrees on 4/30/23, 12:27 PM
There are, of course, ways to implement this that don't include sending even more personal data to social media companies. The most obvious way, for starters, would be through a government app or system that simply tells Facebook "This user is over the age of 13" without sending over any more information.
The reality is that we do need to do something about the issue, just like how porn shouldn't be freely available to literal children. It's an inevitable consequence of the internet moving into the very center of our lives.
by mikewarot on 4/30/23, 4:38 PM
That way a parent can set up the account for the child, and then monitor their activities through the site. Once they age out, their parents roles are reduced appropriately.
The same should also be true in reverse, so that adults can monitor the social media of their elderly parents, to keep them from getting scammed. This can be negotiated and agreed to by the parents.
Either way, a person under care of another should see zero ads.
by proc0 on 4/30/23, 7:17 AM
Trying to impose a ban is such a lazy and naive solution. Kids will find alternatives. There are thousands of options for kids to go online and interact with one another. My guess would be that video games would become the next social platforms, and then what, ban video games? ban multiplayer games? I'm not saying do nothing. There are plenty of potential and creative solutions. Maybe something like incentivizing companies to build a kid-friendly version of their apps, and advising parents on how to be aware of what they're using. Banning tech is usually not the answer in a world where tech is more and more part of everything.