The Australian parliament has passed a bill to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media. The debate is heated and opponents have spoken out, but opinion polls show that many Australians are in favor of the bill. How can we prevent slander and other troubles on social media? Read the article in this video > https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/inter... In this issue of #Everyone's Questions, we will explain the question, "Why is social media banned for people under the age of 16?" ■ Social media addiction and bullying become social issues Takahiro Ono, commentator for Nippon Television: "A bill has been passed in the Australian parliament. It will completely ban the use of social media by children under the age of 16. That's a bold move. Why is this happening?" "According to local media, the government has explained that the purpose is to protect children's mental health and happiness. In Australia, social media addiction, bullying via social media, and harmful content such as pornography and violent videos are all social issues." "That's why there is a movement to ban children from using social media at the national level. It is said to be the first of its kind in the world. The apps that will be subject to this include X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. YouTube has been excluded because it is also used in school education." "Social media operators will be required to carry out strict age verification. On top of that, they will also be required to take measures to prevent children under the age of 16 from using the service." "Even so, if an operator commits a serious violation, the fine will be up to about 5 billion yen in Japanese yen. This is a painful amount for the operator, and it shows how seriously the government is taking this. On the other hand, there are no penalties even if the user, child or guardian, violates the law." Announcer Mori Keisuke: "Not only has it become law, but the fact that the fine is 5 billion yen shows how serious they are about it." ■The issue of how to confirm the exact age Announcer Suzue Nana: "I'm curious to know whether the Australian people are accepting this bold new rule and what they think about it." "Some people say that it's going too far to completely prohibit anyone under the age of 16. It seems that the debate has become heated in parliament. Let's take a look at the public's reaction. According to Reuters, a public opinion poll showed that about 77% of the public supports it." "However, there is some merit to the arguments of those who oppose the bill. According to Reuters, some youth support groups have voiced concerns that "weak young people could be isolated from their support networks." "Some opponents say that it will only isolate children and drive them to dark sites. In Japan, when children and students are alone and troubled, there is also a movement to seek advice through social media." "There is also the issue of how to accurately confirm age. According to local media, the bill does not state how to reliably confirm age." "Even so, after the bill is passed, there will be a one-year grace period from January next year, during which time social media operators will consider what is effective, and then the ban is expected to officially begin." Announcer Kusugaya Kokoro: "As someone who actually uses social media, I've encountered a new world, and there are people who find a place on social media. I think there are many benefits to it. It would be great if we could use this consideration period effectively to find ways to interact with it effectively." ■What about social media regulations in France and the United States? Commentator Ono: "While they don't go so far as to draw the line at 16, there are cases where regulations are put in place to prevent children from viewing harmful content on social media." "According to Reuters, France and some states in the United States have passed bills to prevent minors from accessing social media without parental permission." "Operators also say that to use X, TikTok, and Instagram, you need to enter your date of birth, and that only people aged 13 or over can use them." "LINE is also (commonly) used in Japan, and the recommended age for use is 12 or over. I'm sure there are children using it..." ■What about problems? Survey of parents who give their children smartphones Kurumi Karikawa, anchor: "It's so familiar to us that I don't even know at what age I started using one. While there are good aspects, there are also fears that there may be dangers from any angle." Commentator Ono: "A survey conducted by lawyer search site Bennavi IT (Ashilo), of 1,874 parents who give smartphones to their high school-aged children or younger, 23.2% said that their child has experienced trouble related to the smartphone. The most common cause of trouble was bullying on social media." ■More than 10% have been slandered on social media Commentator Ono: "It's not just children. According to the same site's survey, 13% of 3,000 men and women aged 15 to 59, or more than one in ten people, have been slandered on social media. The most common insults are those that deny a person's character, such as being 'stupid' or 'ugly'." Announcer Suzue: "Bullying and trouble can occur regardless of social media, but with social media, you're constantly connected anytime and anywhere, so it's worrying from a parent's perspective that it could create an environment where people can be cornered." Announcer Mori: "There's no way to escape." ■ Ask the expert... The background to slander Announcer Kutsunagaya: "While there is a possibility of becoming a victim, what should we be careful of to avoid becoming a perpetrator as well?" Commentator Ono: "According to Associate Professor Yamaguchi Shinichi of the International University of Japan, who is knowledgeable about social media, generally those who become perpetrators have their own sense of justice and often do not realize that they are slandering others." "For example, he points out that slander can occur when people blindly accept unreliable information they find online and write something with the intention of criticizing, or when a preconceived sense of justice leads to slander." "For this reason, it's important to calmly review and think about what you're writing before posting. Some social media sites, such as TikTok, apparently have a function that uses AI to detect insulting language and warn users before posting." Announcer Mori: "I think this kind of use of AI is truly amazing." Commentator Ono: "If you make slanderous remarks on social media, you may be charged with defamation or insult in addition to criminal intimidation. Even if the post is anonymous, the sender can be identified by tracing the IP address. Even if you did not post it, you may be charged with a crime for spreading it." ■ Discussion on protecting children from social media Suzue: "Today we talked about the Australian rules, but it seems that discussions on protecting children from social media also need to be advanced in Japan." Commentator Ono: "In Japan, we are in the process of careful discussion. The issues and points of contention will be sorted out by the working group of the Children and Families Agency." Announcer Suzue: "It can be beneficial depending on how you use it, but we also need to think about how to deal with it." Commentator Ono: "SNS will surely continue to develop and become more convenient in the future. That's why we need to carefully analyze the negative effects and apply the brakes when it is necessary. That's what I think." (From "news every." broadcast on November 29, 2024) [Everyone's Questions] "Anger," "questions," "fraud," and "scandals" around us. Based on the information received, Nippon Television News Department will investigate and report on the matter to answer "everyone's questions." (NTV Investigative Reporting Project) https://www.ntv.co.jp/provideinformat... ◇The "NTV NEWS Club" membership has begun. For 290 yen per month, you will receive badge perks that change color according to your membership history to improve your status, as well as basic features such as stamps that can be used in chat during live broadcasts!! / @ntv_news ◇NTV News Department's SNS X / news24ntv TikTok / ntv.news Facebook / ntvnews24 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ntv_news24/... ◇[Latest news now available] Nippon Television News https://news.ntv.co.jp/ #Australia #SNS #Trouble #Smartphone #NTV #newsevery #News