[LINK] "What’s Doomscrolling really costing you?"

[Roger Clarke]

On 9/10/2024 09:01, Sylvano wrote:
 > Watching the way young folk circumvent bans suggests we need to 
support our legislators with different ideas and approaches.
 > And I’ll kick off with an old idea being used now (ironically!)  for 
gambling:  ...
 > Crackpot idea? You have anything better?

Certainly not crackpot Sylvano!

However, I want to go off on a tangent, or maybe 'fight the question'.

Is it such a bad thing that "[some] young folk circumvent bans"?

(Or even that some people productise the circumvention tools and make 
them available to less technically capable young people?).

'Twas ever thus.

No school, parental or society ban has ever been proof against young 
people who were determined, skilful, nihilistic, disaffected, reckless 
and/or <insert other adjectives>.

But many bans had the effects of:
(a)  communicating that 'grown-ups' (or whatever term's now appropriate)
      think there are some serious dangers out there that need managing
(b)  altering the outlook and/or behaviours of some percentage of the
      young in a more conservative / careful / avoidance / informed /
      'responsible' / <insert adjective> direction

If my kids then, and my grandkids now, choose to circumvent protections, 
it wasn't in my parental, and certainly isn't within my grandparental, 
powers to override their circumvention.

But (if I can manage to formulate what kinds of safeguards should be 
imposed on what kinds of content and functionality - which is a bit 
challenging after all) I as parent or grandparent can support installing 
what people seem to now want to call 'some guardrails'.

________________


On 9/10/2024 09:01, Sylvano wrote:
> G’day Linkers,
> 
> as we follow Labor’s evolving social media ban policy for people under age X, I am intrigued to see what thoughts we have within this group about the practicable policy options to address the ills of the ‘net…
> 
> Watching the way young folk circumvent bans suggests we need to support our legislators with different ideas and approaches.
>   
> Let me kick off.
> 
> And I’ll kick off with an old idea being used now (ironically!)  for gambling:
> 
> Regulate the major socials to:
> 
> - insert a 10 second public service announcement, "What’s Doomscrolling really costing you?", after 5 minutes of mindless scrolling. Then a 20 second one after 10 minutes, then a 30 second one after 15 minutes, etc.
> - attempts to scroll the announcement brings the announcement back for a full time display, only disappearing if the announcement is allowed to expire to its set timing.
> 
> The implementation of the legislated requirement by the major socials being easily tested on any device.
> 
> And an equal requirement for all users, of any age.
> 
> Crackpot idea? You have anything better?
> 
> Bring it on, let’s have a bit of brainstorming fun!!
> 
> cheers
> Sylvano
> 
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-- 
Roger Clarke                            mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au
T: +61 2 6288 6916   http://www.xamax.com.au  http://www.rogerclarke.com

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Visiting Professorial Fellow                          UNSW Law & Justice
Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University