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A tiered approach is a “good first step” to Ms Chen, but she does not expect the government to be the “vanguard” of social media use.<\/p>\n
“They can set the measures in place, but whether parents take it seriously is another thing,” she said. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Evan, the Sec 3 student, is one youth in favour of tiered access to social media, acknowledging that young children are “very impressionable since their brains are still growing”.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, everybody “should be mindful about the content they consume”, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Even if they think the media they’re consuming is okay … they should take stock every now and then.”<\/p>\n
Polytechnic student Aditya Mishra, 18, acknowledged downsides of social media such as distraction, doomscrolling and an unhealthy dependence on instant gratification.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Mishra, who started using Instagram when he was 12, also favours giving children opportunities to connect online safely. In his view, age-appropriate measures could be lifted when children are above 16.<\/p>\n
“Most students are mature enough by then in order to make decisions for themselves wisely, and also prioritise their academics and personal goals.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
A youth who gave his name as Ben said he feels a child’s maturity matters more than their age.<\/p>\n
The 18-year-old started using YouTube when he was around five, where he spent up to three hours a day, he said. Today, he mainly uses social media to connect with friends, but recognises the perils of addictive algorithms and negative content.<\/p>\n
“The best way to have children be responsible on social media is not laws or bans, but between the parent and the child,” he said.<\/p>\n
Dr Annabelle Chow, a clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology, said the most effective safeguards are holistic.<\/p>\n
“We cannot place the responsibility entirely on children, parents, schools or platforms. As the saying goes, it takes a kampung (village) to raise a child,” she said.<\/p>\n
Dr Chow said parents should consider the healthy use of social media as a skill in and of itself, much like learning how to cross the road or interact and play with friends.<\/p>\n
Children learn it through practice and guidance, rather than simply upon reaching a certain age, she added.<\/p>\n
It helps to first understand what social media provides for the child, said Dr Chow, whether it provides entertainment, a way to keep up with friends or simply to unwind.<\/p>\n
Sports, hobbies and time with friends offer other ways to meet those needs. This does not mean filling every spare hour on a child’s calendar, she said, adding that some unstructured time also gives them room to discover their own interests and be creative.<\/p>\n
“Ultimately, it is less about taking the phone away and more about giving children enough in their everyday lives that the phone does not need to fill every gap,” she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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