Oddbean

This is such a complex issue but I think it is pretty obvious that law is not the solution to minors being sexualized on the internet. The only solution I see is for parents to keep their children off the internet. Young girls do not understand why it is wrong or dangerous, so they will naturally oversexualize themselves because it is what gets them the most interaction on social media. Boys also face problems with internet access. When I was 12, I would cast my PS3 to my PSP and look up boobs on YouTube. When I got an iPod touch at 13, it became much easier to watch porn. By age 14 I had seen more shit than a human should. I had seen beheadings, gore, blown up bodies, etc. The only solution is for children to have no access to the internet. If they have access, they will get around whatever safeguards you might put in place. Many girls will become addicted to validation, and boys will become addicted to porn. A silly ban isn’t enough to protect them. It is all up to the parents.

Parents should probably ban their rock n roll too 😂🤦‍♂️ I agree that the parents, not the state, are the right people to address these issues with their kids. But a “ban” by parents will be just as effective as a “ban” by the state. Kids are going to do what they want even if it’s behind your back. I also disagree with the premise that all social media is bad for kids. Teach your kids. Be involved. Have tough conversations. Set healthy boundaries. Yes. But don’t fool yourself into thinking you can ban your kids from using the internet. Lol

If you don’t give your child a smartphone, they won’t have access to twitter, instagram, TikTok, etc. There is an insane amount of child prostitution on these platforms and it will be worse on Nostr. How will a child sell nude photos of themselves online if you do not give them a smartphone? This is a new problem. How old are you? I grew up with social media, and I know it harmed me and everyone I know. Social media is highly addictive. I was able to use the internet growing up, but it didn’t become an issue until I was given private access to the internet. Why should children have access to social media before they know how to socialize? What benefit is there to allowing your 13 year old to use social media? To me it seems the negatives far outweigh the positives. My children will be given smartphones at 16. Until then, they can use the internet on a computer in an open space. I might even go as far as to build my own search engine for them. It is indeed unavoidable that children will be in adult spaces on the internet, but you can completely prevent your children from being victimized (on the internet) if you do not give them the tools to access these spaces. A “children’s space” on the internet is impossible, and would absolutely be targeted by predators. To me the solution is not to give in and give them unfettered access, but instead to do everything in your power to protect them.

Not giving them unfettered access to a smartphone or a social media account is different than not letting them have any access to the internet. Not sure which you’re advocating for because you’ve said both. Either way, I don’t think we disagree as much as we agree. Parents, not the state, are the right people to address these issues with their kids. I’m old enough, have young kids of my own, and they have access to the internet and smart devices with our oversight and guidance. Unfettered access would be stupid. But so is keeping them from learning how to use modern technology responsibly by taking it away completely. Anyway, this wasn’t supposed to be an argument. Parents need to be in control of this for their kids’ safety and upbringing, not the state. 🤝

It’s not the same argument because in my case we are talking about actual children and how their parents, whom are ordained to raise them, do so. In the case of the state, they are talking about free adults over whom they want to unrightfully rule with no restrictions.