The Australian government just banned social media for kids under the age of 16. On the Coffee, Commerce & Catechesis podcast, Travis Callaway and I have spent a lot of time talking about the harmful effects of smartphones and social media on kids with people like Braden Ritchie, Dan Churchwell and Colin Miller. In his book "The Anxious Generation" Jonathan Haidt provides compelling evidence to support the Australian government's move: - rate of severe depression in adolescent girls has doubled from 2010-2020 - visits to the ER for self-harm rose 188% in American girls ages 10-14 - suicide rates during the same period rose 167% The negative impacts of social media disproportionately affects girls, and as a new Dad of a beautiful baby girl, the evidence is absolutely going to inform how my wife and I raise her. Obviously, there are questions about how effective this ban is actually going to be, not to mention the backlash from people who are against it. What is clear though, is that the Australian government has recognized the havoc that social media is wreaking on youth mental health and is taking action. Will other governments follow their example?
Logan M.
3mo
As a parent of five young children, I agree with the principle of limiting tech use for kids. My kids won't get phones until they are much older. But this is a decision for parents to make, not the government.
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3moCheck out our episodes with Braden, Dan, and Colin: Braden: https://www.cofcomcat.com/episodes/episode/79831ccf/christian-parenting-pitfalls-phones-schools-and-sleepovers-with-braden-ritchie Dan: https://www.cofcomcat.com/episodes/episode/7a1a3a55/whats-wrong-with-the-smartphone-generation-with-dan-churchwell Colin: https://www.cofcomcat.com/episodes/episode/7756b9b3/why-kids-dont-care-about-church-with-colin-miller