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From: "Rod Speed" <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: comp.misc,nz.general,aus.computers
Subject: Re: Banning Social Media For Under-16s
Date: Thu, 15 May 2025 17:36:53 +1000
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Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote

> Australia has put in place a law to ban accessto social media for   =

> under-16s,

And it remains to be seen how enforceable that is.

No chance in reality

> and New Zealand is looking to follow suit. Here is an
> interview, by Samantha Hayes of Stuff, of the =E2=80=9CPremier=E2=80=9D=
 (as the
> Aussies insist on calling the state Chief Ministers in their
> Federation -- don=E2=80=99t they know that =E2=80=9CPremier=E2=80=9D i=
s shortened journalese
> for =E2=80=9CPrime Minister=E2=80=9D?) of South Australia, Peter Malin=
auskas, the
> instigator of the Aussie law
> <https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360690772/one-thing-architect-austra=
lias-social-media-ban-under-16s-would-do-differently>.

> One of our local pro-right-wing-wannabe parties insists the law would
> be =E2=80=9Cunworkable=E2=80=9D.

Corse it is

> Yes, Malinauskas admits that bans on underage
> smoking, drinking and now social media are never 100% effective. But
> they greatly reduce the incidence of the activity, and that is what
> leads to harm reduction.

That last remains to be seen

> Certainly, relying on the social media companies to police themselves
> is never going to work.

Just as true of the ban

> Because if it had worked, we would have seen
> the results, after more than 20 years of their activities. The fact
> that things are, if anything, worse now than when they started, shows
> the uselessness of trusting them.

The ban is even more useless