From Matthew Stevens, Sydney, Australia
A decade and a half ago, when my son was in year 7, the government in New South Wales, Australia, issued laptops to students with safeguards to prevent them freely roaming the internet. Within a week, he and all of his friends had bypassed these and spent their time watching videos in class (Letters, 14/21 December 2024).
Likewise, the Australian government’s legislation to block children under 16 from using social media is doomed to fail. Children will find ways around the prohibition and share them. Instead of a ban, society must drive responsible use of social media.
