Good luck enforcing a social media ban, teens say | #childpredator | #onlinepredator | #sextrafficing

Banning social media for children under a certain age might reduce bullying and improve mental health, but teens say it could limit their ability to find jobs, fundraise and even participate in classes.

Even if a ban is implemented, experts say kids are still at risk.

“Overall it sounds like a good idea. But I feel like there would be repercussions because of kids rebelling, or even workarounds,” said Tiago Figueiro, a 17-year-old in Regina.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe floated the idea of a social media ban for children 16 years old and younger after question period at the provincial legislature on Monday.

He said he wants to hear what Saskatchewan people think of the idea and how it could work.

“It is time for us to have a conversation about social media in particular, social media use in our youth, in our students,” Moe said, noting Prime Minister Mark Carney has also indicated he wants to discuss options.

Last year, Australia banned children under 16 from social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat.

Moe said it’s time for Canada to look at something similar.

Students who spoke with CBC outside Campbell Collegiate in Regina unanimously said social media has serious downsides, including triggering low self-esteem and providing a platform for bullying.

But they also said it expands their access to business opportunities, friendships and fundraising tools.

“(Bans) might limit lots of kids’ abilities to build their entrepreneurship,” Figueiro said, using the example of a small car-detailing business using social media to attract customers.

Ava Starkebaum, 17, said she went through a rough time because of an experience on social media when she was younger and she supports a ban for elementary school students.

But it doesn’t make sense to ban social media for high school kids, she said.

“Those older teenagers, we’re crafty. There’s definitely ways around it.”

Starkebaum and her friend Autumn Oke, 17, said they used social media to help raise $1,200 last year to buy food for people in the inner city.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do that big of amount without it,” Oke said, adding that she also relies on social media to keep in contact with friends in Toronto, where she lived before moving to Regina. 

Both girls said parents need to be on board for any type of ban to work. 

“Even in our entrepreneurship class we use social media a lot as our main source of getting the word out for our products. It’s how we build connections,” Starkebaum said.

WATCH | Saskatchewan’s premier is talking about banning social media for children under 16:

Saskatchewan’s premier is talking about banning social media for children under 16

Premier Scott Moe wants to open up conversation with Saskatchewan families about banning social media for children 16 and under. Experts and youth weigh in on the idea and its possible outcomes.

Tough to enforce, expert says

David Gerhard, department head of computer science at the University of Manitoba, said implementing a ban is “fraught” and requires compliance from the social media companies themselves.

It also risks compromising children’s personal information if there are data leaks, he said.

However, the studies are clear: social media is damaging children’s developing brains, their mental health and it’s “just enormous wastes of time and energy,” he added.

“People aren’t bored anymore,” Gerhard said, noting that boredom can drive people to innovate and seek out new activities.

“If dopamine is provided for you directly every day in a constant feed, there’s no need for curiosity.”

Markella Nagel, 18,  said she has struggled with that since joining social media when she was in Grade 9.

Time spent on social media platforms has hurt her self-esteem, dampened her creativity and kept her from participating in activities with people she loves, she said.

“You lose a lot of time. You get sucked into the hole.” 

Maryam Toor said her parents didn’t allow her to join social media until last year, when she turned 16. The Grade 11 student said some days she wishes she’d never joined.

She supports banning social media for children under 16, she said.

“Since social media, I’m scrolling through TikTok, Instagram. It’s like taking all my time. It affects your brain a lot. You can’t move. It’s like hard for you to get out.”