Post B5lyD6Zf078pEpJZr6 by aadeacon@mastodon.social
 (DIR) More posts by aadeacon@mastodon.social
 (DIR) Post #B5lyD62gyglnaZtFT6 by neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk
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       The UK's plan to further censor people's Internet access continues:> We are consulting on the mechanism, which is the right thing to do, but we are clear that under any outcome we will impose some form of age or functionality for children under 16. ..  we aim to do so by the end of the year.*sigh*https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026-04-27/debates/09FEE6E7-FF12-45A0-A358-1E18BE4A44DF/Children%E2%80%99SWellbeingAndSchoolsBill
       
 (DIR) Post #B5lyD6JLyk66QFgYRE by neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk
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       I don't think that I have seen this set out quite so starkly.But... it also makes little sense (policy wise; the sentence doesn't work but that's an aside).One cannot consult meaningfully on the "how" without having a clear problem statement.We do not have a clear problem statement.What is it that the UK is trying to solve here?Which means we will end up - once again - "doing something" because "something is better than nothing", rather than a coherent plan.
       
 (DIR) Post #B5lyD6Zf078pEpJZr6 by aadeacon@mastodon.social
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       @neil The problem is two fold. 10 The government must do do something "to protect the children ", due to screams from the Right wing press etc,20 The government dare not do the correct thing which is to make parents responsible for their childrens welfare, this would upset the afore mentioned press and the idle parents who want someone else to look after them rather than do it themselves. childrenIdeally the government would say to parents "Do it your self or be prosecuted for neglect"
       
 (DIR) Post #B5lyD6xPZo8kQUQXsO by steve@mastodon.nexusuk.org
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       @aadeacon @neil I don't even think the answer is parenting.  They frame the problem as "social media is bad for children", whereas the evidence is quite clear that social media is bad for *people*.  The solution is therefore not to ban children from SM, but to regulate SM so it isn't so harmful to everyone.
       
 (DIR) Post #B5lyD6xlYUQKRaapQe by aadeacon@mastodon.social
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       @neil Further. the State and politicians are always in favour of censorship, it makes their lives easier and hiding mistakes easier as well. The right favours censorship as it does not have to justify its believes and actions to others.
       
 (DIR) Post #B5lyF9QVMoHMfD0YiW by neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk
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       @steve @aadeacon >  the evidence is quite clear that social media is bad for *people*I think that what evidence there is shows that some aspects of some services can be harmful to some people in some contexts?A concerning factor is the insistence by governments and legislatures as treating "social media" as a thing, in and of itself.