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Governments are banning kids from social media: will that protect them from harm?

Australia is the latest nation to introduce restrictions, but evidence about whether they will work is limited.
By
  1. Gemma Conroy

A year from now, children under the age of 16 in Australia will be barred from many social-media platforms — the highest minimum-age limit in the world. Other countries or regions have introduced similar bans and more say they’re considering them, owing to parents’ concerns that children are being exposed to cyberbullying, scams and adult content on these platforms. But researchers say there is minimal evidence to suggest such bans will keep children safe from online harm.

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Nature 636, 530-531 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-03955-5

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