@daedalus Dunno whether to call this Teen Social Media Ban schemozzle "policy on the run" or if there's some other better fitting name for it, but it sure is a mess.

There's no "one size fits all" solution, and anyone trying to sell one is lying or an ignorant fool. I would go as far as saying there is no totally effectively solution or combination of solutions.

Albo was right to say "Government may not be able to protect every child from every threat on social media." He knows they cannot, yet he's going to try because he thinks it's a good look.

"Teen Social Media Ban" is a feel-good policy to appease voters who say "I'm scared of what's on the Internet", or "Won't somebody think of the children?", or "What are kids up to these days?"

The government has promised to do something about it, so now they have to be seen to do something.

Will they deliver something?
Sure.

Will that "something" work as promised?
Nope.

Will it have unintended consequences?
Yes.

Will it have unforeseen side-effects that hurt innocent people?
Unfortunately.

Will it have security holes that are exploited by child-abusers, criminals, bent cops overreaching their powers, and more?
Yes.

Is it going to be expensive?
OMG, yes. The big Consulting firms are lining-up, and Tech giants know if they complain hard enough, they'll get paid well to have a hand in specifying how it's implemented, get well compensated for the inconvenience of any changes they're required by these new regulations to make at their end, or ideally all of the above.

Will it make the internet a safer place?
That's so difficult to measure that I'll remind you of what I said above about people making such statements being liars or fools.

Will it add another unnecessary layer of complexity their everyday life when using the internet in Australia?
Yes. People will have to accept it as the new "normal", and hand-in-hand with that, greater numbers of people will be adopting VPNs, browser plugins, and other technology to circumvent this ill-advised "Teen Social Media Ban".

#AusPol #AgeAssurance #SocialMedia #TeenSocialMediaBan #Privacy #Security #CyberSecurity #Cyber #CyberCyberCyberCyberCyber