Data from the first months after the introduction of the ban on social media for children in Australia shows the limitations of such an approach. A more sustainable solution requires the development of media literacy, digital skills and greater responsibility on the part of platforms for the way their services are built. It is important for children to understand both the opportunities and risks in the digital environment, and not just to be limited. This was commented by Iglika Ivanova, coordinator of the Safer Internet Center and an expert in digital media literacy, in the program “In Development“ on Bloomberg TV Bulgaria with host Georgi Mesrobovich.
The first data after the introduction of the ban on social media for children in Australia shows that the measure can be easily circumvented. According to Ivanova, the main problem is that the responsibility is directed at children and families, instead of at the architecture and design of the platforms themselves, pointed out bloombergtv.bg.
“The data available so far is for a very short period of time since the ban came into force – approximately 6 months. They confirm skepticism regarding the effectiveness of the measure. The main points are related to the circumventability of this measure and the fact that children circumvent it with great ease“, said Ivanova.
According to her, social networks should not be viewed solely as a risky environment, as they also contain useful content. According to her, the more important question is how to prepare children to understand both the opportunities and threats online.
Building digital skills requires a long-term policy and the participation of various stakeholders, including young people themselves, who, according to Ivanova, are often left out of the debate. She pointed out that Europe has examples of introducing media literacy from an early age, and Bulgaria also has opportunities to develop such skills in the education system.
“A working model in education must first be built consistently. With a long-term policy, with broad participation of all stakeholders. And at all costs with the participation of young people themselves, who are largely excluded from this debate“, Ivanova emphasized.
In her words, the most economically effective approach must also be sought - whether efforts should be directed at all teachers or at specific lecturers who should develop these skills systematically.
The European Union already has a regulatory framework that aims to increase the responsibility of large online platforms. According to Ivanova, the focus should be on implementing existing rules, strengthening regulators and supporting institutions working on the topic.
“In the European Union, we have the legislative framework and it is a matter of its implementation. We are looking at the implementation of the Digital Services Act, at strengthening regulators, at national regulators for digital services and at the upcoming introduction of new acts that are specifically related to the protection of children“, she said.
According to Ivanova, among the main risks online are early exposure to social networks, algorithmic amplification of content and the so-called addictive design of platforms. She warned that complete bans could lead to the so-called behavioral shift, in which children move to more invisible and unregulated spaces.
Ivanova pointed out that the combination of different factors creates the greatest risks in the digital environment. She noted that understanding why users see certain content and how algorithms influence their behavior is important for both children and adults.
“The combination of factors makes for the perfect storm. The fact that social media is not designed for children is important to understand. The content on them is amplified algorithmically, and understanding what I see, why I see it and how it affects me is something that is important for both children and adult audiences“, Ivanova commented.
She added that artificial intelligence is the next big challenge, which requires the development of new skills and an understanding of how technologies work.
“The approach of avoiding the ban and looking away is certainly not the solution. It has a useful application, it is a tool, so our common task is to find the most accessible way to encourage it“, Ivanova said.