Japan’s relatively low average smartphone usage conceals growing vulnerabilities to screen addiction among specific groups, particularly young people and working adults. Smartphones have become essential to daily life, supporting communication, online shopping, information access and health monitoring, while delivering major social and economic benefits. However, increasing reliance has raised concerns about excessive use and its […]
President Emmanuel Macron of France has expressed strong support for restricting children’s access to social media, joining other world leaders seeking to combat online abuse. He backs draft legislation that would ban social media for children under 15 and extend the existing ban on mobile phones from primary and middle schools to high schools. Following […]
Instagram supports the EU’s proposal for a continent-wide “Digital Majority Age” to enhance youth online safety. For over a decade, Instagram has implemented measures to protect young users, requiring a minimum age of 13 and introducing Teen Accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. These accounts offer safeguards such as limiting contacts, filtering sensitive content, and […]
A new policy in Australia has sparked global attention as the country becomes one of the first in the world to ban social media access for young teens. Under the law, children under 16 will be blocked from creating or maintaining accounts on major platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and X. The measure—framed […]
Bernard Marr’s Forbes article “Digital Addiction: Should You Be Worried?” highlights how modern technology deliberately encourages overuse through features like infinite scrolling, likes, and notifications that exploit the brain’s reward system. This design keeps users constantly engaged, benefiting companies that profit from longer screen time. Marr cites data showing that 210 million people globally suffer […]
In a landmark legal action, 41 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have sued Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, accusing it of knowingly harming teenagers through addictive platform designs. The lawsuits claim Meta prioritized growth and profits over the mental health of young users. This legal battle draws a strong parallel […]
