They can still talk to online friends though. Only social media is banned. There are lots of ways to talk to people online without social media. I feel old now lol Also social media is harmful to the mental health off people. Some platforms like TikTok are especially designed to be harmful. That’s like saying banning smoking because some people need to smoke to relax. Completely ignoring all the bad side effects from smoking.
People can communicate without “social media.” You and I are doing it right now. “Social media” doesn’t encapsulate every single method of two-way online communication.
So then how would they keep kids "safe" if social media doesn't encapsulate all forms of communication? They can't without a complete overhaul of free speech. Email is a social medium. Phone calls are a social medium. If they ban Tiktok, they'd have to go after every medium. Tiktok is only the target right now because it's Chinese and under communist accusations.
"Social media" is a set that presumably includes at least one thing (or else there would be little point discussing it) and excludes at least one thing (because OTW's legal team thinks that AO3 is not an example of "social media," and I, who am not a lawyer, will defer to the people who know what they're talking about).
Since AO3 is not social media and we are able to communicate right now on that platform, it is clearly the case that it is possible to communicate online without social media.
You'd be surprised by what falls under the frustratingly vague label of "social media". Technically ao3 would classify as social media as it is a site that facilitates sharing of media and communication over the internet. That's actually one of the main issues surrounding this situation in Australia, that social media isn't very well defined in the bill at the moment.
I'm going to assume that OTW, which has a legal team, has a better understanding of the term "social media" than either of us yahoos. If OTW says that AO3 isn't considered a social media platform, then that's the end of the story as far as I'm concerned.
If you are secretly an attorney with domain expertise who thinks that OTW has this all wrong, then feel free to think that I am an idiot and a fool.
Honestly as an older Gen Z who has used the internet far longer than social media existed I'm a bit mindblower by this question. This is not social media and we are in contact. Most forums aren't social media. You can argue that reddit and discord are not social media or at least don't have to be used that way. When I was a teen I stayed in contact with my friends through e-mail. You can also stay in contact via shared text documents like one of my friend groups has a shared google drive folder and we sometimes chat using the text document and share pictures over that. Also you don't have to be online. You can also use phone to send sms or call people, send letters etc.
Email, message boards, through online multiplayer game chat, comment threads (like right here). Also I highly doubt most teens do not know how a VPN works.
Comment on Social Media Bans and AO3
Chiriko Mon 16 Dec 2024 07:16AM UTC
Comment Actions
VahleeAirbusgirl Tue 17 Dec 2024 05:05AM UTC
Comment Actions
Callmesalticidae Tue 17 Dec 2024 07:04AM UTC
Comment Actions
VahleeAirbusgirl Tue 17 Dec 2024 07:33AM UTC
Comment Actions
MalcontentCatboy Tue 17 Dec 2024 07:59AM UTC
Comment Actions
Callmesalticidae Tue 17 Dec 2024 04:29PM UTC
Comment Actions
transcendent_honk Tue 17 Dec 2024 12:51PM UTC
Comment Actions
Callmesalticidae Tue 17 Dec 2024 04:24PM UTC
Comment Actions
Chiriko Tue 17 Dec 2024 10:32AM UTC
Comment Actions
Otaku_girl Tue 17 Dec 2024 02:09PM UTC
Comment Actions