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Utah is first US state to limit teen social media access

bbc.com

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Re: Utah is first US state to limit teen social media access

#31

Post by ryankshaw »

taylodl wrote: post #18
paxys wrote: post #16

Whether this is a reasonable law or not, my big problem with it is that it puts the burden of enforcement on tech platforms rather than the kids' parents. There is no way for any company to check for something like this without also affecting every other user of the site, whether they are in Utah or not and whether they are a teen or not. What do they do exactly, start collecting government IDs from us before every v…

Call their bluff - don’t make your service available in Utah.

I live in Utah. If that's what happens, that would be awesome! "Sorry kids, no fb/tiktok/insta and there's nothing I can do about it. None of them work where we live"

Would be a huge win for all parents. No social media, and we don't have to be the bad guys taking it away.

Re: Utah is first US state to limit teen social media access

#32

Post by gjsman-1000 »

paxys wrote: post #16

Whether this is a reasonable law or not, my big problem with it is that it puts the burden of enforcement on tech platforms rather than the kids' parents. There is no way for any company to check for something like this without also affecting every other user of the site, whether they are in Utah or not and whether they are a teen or not. What do they do exactly, start collecting government IDs from us before every v…

I would say that anonymity on social media currently has a serious, real-world price to pay. Teen girls and Instagram don’t mix - the numbers reporting depression and suicidal thoughts since it took off is heartbreaking.

They made us wear masks due to a threat to our physical health. Social media is currently having extremely acute effects on the mental health of a generation. It may have reached the point that losing anonymity and requiring ID is better than suicides and depression. At this point, if you look at the numbers, it’s like claiming the government is infringing your rights to buy alcohol anonymously. We should stop pretending that mental health damage is of lower priority than physical health.

(And don’t get me started about the parents - outside of SV, only a few percent even know parental controls exist, let alone how to use them effectively without loopholes.)

Re: Utah is first US state to limit teen social media access

#33

Post by Jensson »

syklep wrote: post #27
taylodl wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Call their bluff - don’t make your service available in Utah.

Software Developer is the most common job in Utah, it's kind of surprising this happened despite that.

Software developers are more anti tech than most.

Re: Utah is first US state to limit teen social media access

#34

Post by bparsons »

paxys wrote: post #16

Whether this is a reasonable law or not, my big problem with it is that it puts the burden of enforcement on tech platforms rather than the kids' parents. There is no way for any company to check for something like this without also affecting every other user of the site, whether they are in Utah or not and whether they are a teen or not. What do they do exactly, start collecting government IDs from us before every v…

You could say the same thing about cigarette and alcohol sales.

Re: Utah is first US state to limit teen social media access

#35

Post by SketchySeaBeast »

bparsons wrote: post #34
paxys wrote: post #16

Whether this is a reasonable law or not, my big problem with it is that it puts the burden of enforcement on tech platforms rather than the kids' parents. There is no way for any company to check for something like this without also affecting every other user of the site, whether they are in Utah or not and whether they are a teen or not. What do they do exactly, start collecting government IDs from us before every v…

You could say the same thing about cigarette and alcohol sales.

Those have been solved by requiring ID. Personally, I find online storage of my ID to be a lot less acceptable than a bored teenager giving it a 2 second glance while I'm picking up beer.

Re: Utah is first US state to limit teen social media access

#36

Post by sbrother »

ryankshaw wrote: post #31
taylodl wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Call their bluff - don’t make your service available in Utah.

I live in Utah. If that's what happens, that would be awesome! "Sorry kids, no fb/tiktok/insta and there's nothing I can do about it. None of them work where we live" Would be a huge win for all parents. No social media, and we don't have to be the bad guys taking it away.

Another Utahn here and I feel the same. I don’t really see how this could work and think it will probably go away quietly, but I’d kind of love it if these platforms (and the social pressure our kids feel to be on them) just went away.

Re: Utah is first US state to limit teen social media access

#37

Post by jfengel »

taylodl wrote: post #18
paxys wrote: post #16

Whether this is a reasonable law or not, my big problem with it is that it puts the burden of enforcement on tech platforms rather than the kids' parents. There is no way for any company to check for something like this without also affecting every other user of the site, whether they are in Utah or not and whether they are a teen or not. What do they do exactly, start collecting government IDs from us before every v…

Call their bluff - don’t make your service available in Utah.

That is the goal. It's not a bluff. The kids are just an excuse.

Re: Utah is first US state to limit teen social media access

#38

Post by monksy »

This is a strange way to legislate behavior. The fact that they're selectively cutting access to a population during a time period rather than limiting the overall negative reprocutions is a weird thing.

This is not the internet I want to participate in. It's freaking scary that the government is associating your ability to freely access information based on your class and standing. Why we have weak journalists and activists who aren't making a shitfit over it is just mind-boggling.

Subcomment: I do believe that social media has caused harm, however the negative reprocutions on how they're going about it does not seem like a good intention.

Re: Utah is first US state to limit teen social media access

#39

Post by ajhurliman »

MBCook wrote: post #26
taylodl wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Call their bluff - don’t make your service available in Utah.

Honestly this seems like the best idea. You can’t get accused of letting a kid access outside approved hours if you don’t allow people in Utah on. What about adults? They may be lying kids. So either no access (safer) or strict age checks involving checking licenses and stuff. But that’s expensive. No Utah is easier. How do you know they’re in Utah? IP addresses. Blocks people outside Utah? Sorry, our lawyers made us…

I’m sure you’re writing all of this in a “yeah, that’ll teach em” voice, but this all sounds amazing. Please, let social media block everyone, become irrelevant, then bring back the old internet.
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