Australian clinic tackles screen addiction as social media ban looms

rom Wednesday (December 10), Australia will impose a world-first social media ban on under-16s, blocking them from TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Over a million children will lose their accounts during the summer break, a shift that could help by limiting harmful content but also strain mental health by cutting off support and social connection.

Dr Daniela Vecchio says, 'The suffering of people who are addicted to gaming and social media, the struggle of their families, and the need for screening, prevention, early intervention, and treatment are highlighted in my interview. Thanks to Reuters, the message is now being spread worldwide.
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Watch the report on Reuters.

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Australia is banning social media for kids under 16. How will it work?

From 10 December, social media companies will have to take "reasonable steps" to ensure that under-16s in Australia cannot set up accounts on their platforms and that existing accounts are deactivated or removed.

News

Midnight social media curfew proposed for UK teens aged 16 and 17

Older teenagers in the UK will face an overnight social media curfew, the government has announced - though they will be able to opt out of it by changing their account settings. It would mean apps such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube being set to be unavailable by default to 16 and 17-year-olds between midnight and 06:00.

Science

Systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiology of internet addiction

The field of internet addiction has experienced significant debates on conflicting epidemiology. This meta-analysis investigated the prevalence rates of generalized internet addiction (GIA) and internet gaming disorder (IGD).

Screen Sense