Protecting Children or Policing Everyone? Episode 576

Australia is set to become the first country in the world to ban under-16s from all social media. At first glance many people will say, “Great — it’s about time!” But how exactly do they plan to enforce it?

Under the new system, anyone who wants to create an account on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, YouTube, or any major platform will need to provide government-issued ID.

What begins as a well-intentioned effort to protect children could lead to a future where every user must show ID just to go online.

So today, Niall asks:
Is giving up our online anonymity a reasonable sacrifice to keep children safe — or a step too far?

Listeners join the conversation to share their views on privacy, parenting, safety, and where the line should be drawn.

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