<
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/07/im-15-years-old-and-have-a-disability-social-media-has-been-a-lifeline-why-is-the-government-kicking-me-off>
"The government has decided that from Wednesday I should be banned from social
media because of the potential harm it can cause. But as a teenager with a
severe disability who relies on social media for connection, community and
access to a largely inaccessible world, this policy actually has the potential
to create further harm.
When I was 12, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which triggered a rare
nerve condition that has paralysed me. My preteen years were spent in an ICU
ward, on a ventilator, going through chemotherapy. Before I got sick I did not
have any social media. It turned out that all I had to do was end up in a coma,
because when I woke, I had a new iPhone 14 with every accessibility feature.
Having Instagram and Snapchat made me feel less disconnected. I had a window
into the outside world, and my friends had a window into my world between
hospital visits.
Social media is a powerful thing, especially for teenagers transitioning into
adulthood. And I understand why there is a need to restrict it or monitor it,
especially for children and young teenagers. However as clinical psychologist
Dr Rachel Same has pointed out to me in response to questions on this topic,
“current evidence does not establish a clear cause-and-effect relationship
between social media use and the physical or mental health of children and
adolescents”.
If banning social media for kids under 16 is a response to a mental health
crisis among young people, shouldn’t it consider all young people? What about
those who are isolated? Those who are in hospital or managing a chronic health
condition or disability that means they can’t participate in the world in the
same way as other teenagers their age?
Even now, as I come to terms with life as a quadriplegic, Instagram and TikTok
offer videos, accounts and communities to remind me I’m not alone. I follow my
footy team, I even DM with some of the Carlton boys before and after games, I
follow the NBA and my favourite basketball accounts, and have started my own
movie account where I review and rate movies. It’s not my behaviour online
that’s the issue here, yet it is kids like me who are being punished.
What we need is regulation and consequences. Whenever I have reported an
account or comment for hate speech or bullying, my report has made no
difference. The comment remains, the account still exists, and it’s up to me to
block and move on, while that person or bot continues to spread hate. What
responsibility do the platforms themselves owe to users? If tech companies have
the capability to delete accounts for people under the age of 16, they also
have the capability to delete accounts that bully, harass or cause harm.
Banning social media for young people doesn’t actually solve the problems at
the crux of this issue. Does the government not realise that bullying and
trolling will continue on unregulated apps like WhatsApp, Roblox, Discord and
probably many others that will pop up in the next few months to fill the gap
that Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok have left?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
