Comment by Lerc

I am aware that laws have been passed on a wide range of issues against expert advice. Whether it be protecting the right to assault children, punishing addicts instead of preventing harm, or cutting children off from their most used method of first contact with mental health-care

Since you bring up the Australian law as an example I shall check the expert opinion on that.

For the second time in a week, I find myself in the peculiar position of seeing our research misinterpreted and used to support specific (and ill-advised) policy - this time by the Australian government to justify a blanket social media ban for those under 16.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/akprzybylski_the-communicatio...

This open-letter, signed by over 140 Australian academics, international experts, and civil society organisations, addresses the proposal to ‘ban’ children from social media until the age of 16. They argue that a ‘ban’ is too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively and that any restrictions must be designed with care.

https://apo.org.au/node/328608

https://ccyp.wa.gov.au/news/anzccga-joint-statement-on-the-s...

https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/proposed-social-media-...