German students say Australia’s social media ban for under-16s is the wrong approach and that education, not bans, should come first.
Banning something cannot be the first education policy solution, said Quentin Gärtner of the National Congress of German Students. “The first step should always be to teach young people skills,” he said, adding that it is important to educate minors on how to act responsibly on social media.
The Australian law, which came into effect on Wednesday, prevents children and teenagers under the age of 16 from having accounts on major platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Australian authorities say this measure aims to protect minors from online risks. Germany is discussing a similar approach.
Gaertner, 18, who served as general secretary of the National Student Congress until November, said age restrictions would not solve the problem. He told the German News Agency (dpa): “If we talk about regulations or bans on social media, we need an approach that includes the entire society.”
“Then we have to say that society as a whole cannot handle this. But then we need other forms,” he said.
He called on schools to provide trained specialists who educate students about healthy sleep procedures, social media mechanisms and misinformation.
“It doesn’t mean we don’t realize that the time we spend in front of screens is harmful,” Gaertner said. Millions of children and teens want to help, which is why the demand for mentoring is high, he said.