Since its release on Netflix on 13 March, the British series Adolescence, which has sparked as much admiration as concern, has opened a debate on the ‘bad education’, or negative influence, that social media has on young people.
Critics and audiences agree in praising its brilliance, from an outstanding cast to an original storyline. But beyond its artistic perfection, the series has the power to plunge viewers, especially many parents, into an unknown reality: the dangers and toxicity hidden in social media, such as misogyny, violence and other extremist content.
SHOCK AND CONCERN. With parents busier than ever and education systems falling short, young people look for other spaces where they can communicate and find answers. It’s now, after Adolescence aired, that many adults and teachers are realising how disconnected they are from the digital world. How much time do young people spend in front of screens? What inappropriate content might they come across? Who could be shaping the personality of these kids who seem hypnotised by their phones?
Stephen Graham, the show’s creator and the actor who plays the father of the boy accused of killing a classmate, says he was inspired to make it after seeing two separate reports of boys stabbing girls to death. Asking what’s happening in society and how the digital world affects young minds has a lot to do with Instagram’s new safety policies.
Over the coming months, Meta will roll out a series of safety updates for users under 16. In the first phase, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada will get access to the feature, although there are plans to extend it to other countries.
ADDITIONAL SAFETY RESTRICTIONS FOR TEEN ACCOUNTS on Instagram, Facebook and Messenger, such as:
– Parental consent required for live streams.
– Sensitive images in direct messages will be removed automatically.
Teen Accounts already had features limiting access to sensitive content and blocking messages from non-contacts, as well as private profiles by default and usage limits with scheduled breaks. These measures aim to protect underage users and have overwhelming support from parents, who see them as a necessary step to guide young people through their digital experience.
Meta recently announced that it will start using its own AI models to determine whether an account really belongs to a teenager, even if it has been set up as if the user were an adult. Mark Zuckerberg’s company is showing its intention to minimise the risks of social media access. Do you think Meta is doing enough to look after its youngest users?
