And it’s about time.
Why should the internet be any different?
Addictive Feeds
Just what isan addictive feed?
Kids LOVE their phones. Maybe too much.martin-dm / Getty
Willie B. Thomas / Getty
The problem is real.
Anyone who has spent any time at all on social media knows this intuitively.
It’s designed to keep us coming back, filling our feeds with empty, addictive junk, rage-bait.
It’s hard for parents to know where to begin.Willie B. Thomas / Getty
Kids, in the most intense and vulnerable part of their development, have no chance.
Parental Advisory
But is this the government’s job?
Shouldn’t we leave this work to parents?
Sure, they look wholesome, but we all know teens never do what they’re told.pixdeluxe
There are a few good arguments against that idea.
One is that we don’t leave other harmful or dangerous activities in the hands of parents.
As mentioned above, we have no problems with the law protecting kids from booze and tobacco.
Using the law to protect kids is well-established and good.
pixdeluxe
Then there’s the fact that parents and teachers are just not equipped to deal with this problem.
It is unfair to bombard teachers with an additional responsibility above and beyond educating our nation’s children.
Targeting social media like this is a smart move because it lets kids keep using phones for other purposes.
If nothing else, it’s going to stop arguments between kids and their parents.
Or at least, it will stop some of them.
Update 06/24/2024: Updated source biographical information in paragraph 3.
