Ban the ban?

The UK is following Australia's example and banning social media by restricting access to under-16s. The concern that they and other countries will find is that children will often be able to circumvent their restrictions.

It is a common faulty approach of trying to treat the symptoms rather than the illness. With few exceptions, perhaps the influencers of the world, we would be better without the easy access to time wasting media feeds but they are so addictive. I am amazed at how YouTube gets me in and I spend time there that I should elsewhere.

Would it be better to try to get the social media app companies to modify their methods by first suggesting it, then legislating it and finally fining them? A simple idea that simply won't work.

A better idea might be to get them a soccer ball, watch a few games with them and go to the local park and join others. The soccer World Cup is on for a few weeks and might give us that opportunity to get them out of the basement, physical or metaphorical.

Cheer for Australia, we are nice people, and our team needs a lot of help when it gets serious.

Dennis Fitzgerald,
Melbourne, Australia