Beyond a Ban

My first encounter with pornography was in 2004, when I was nine years old. I was using the family computer to do a school project when I stumbled upon a site that loaded a page of nudes. I scrolled and scrolled, dumbfounded. I showed my sisters, then my best friend. And eventually, my parents. These images weren’t overly explicit; perhaps comparable to scenes found in a foreign film on SBS. Still, computer privileges were revoked for a month and security software was installed to prevent my stumbling on such a site ever again.

A decade later, US media scholar and university professor Ethan Zuckerman would note that we were only in the “early, exploratory stages” of learning to navigate the internet responsibly, comparing the experience to a toddler learning how to walk. And while we’ve found our footing with many online functions in the years since, it seems we’ve still only scratched the surface.

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, algorithms that know us better than we know ourselves and lifelong digital footprints have us navigating a world where our digital and physical realities have merged. We no longer go online; we are online. Our phones have become an extension of ourselves, and a ‘healthy’ interaction with these technologies is yet to be defined. So, how can parents teach their children about online safety when they themselves don’t have the answers? How do we stop young people from endlessly scrolling when we, too, have fallen down the rabbit hole?

The recent discussion to ban the use of social media platforms for Australian children under 16 has been welcomed by MPs and government bodies across the political spectrum. The proposed ban would prohibit platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok by using ‘age assurance technologies’. However, it’s something that no other country has yet achieved, and the implementation of such tech, even if successful, raises further issues around privacy and data collection.

The Hon Tanya Plibersek used her recent keynote address at the 2024 Joan Kirner Social Justice Oration to discuss the damaging effects of social media on young people. “Kids are watching choking and anal sex before they’ve had their first kiss,” she said. She went on to talk about the harmful impact of social media algorithms, particularly on young men. “We can’t reach our target of ending violence against women in a generation if the next generation of men is being trained by social media to hate and hurt women,” she said.

Algorithms that amplify misogynistic content are shaping an online space known as the ‘manosphere’, where more ‘traditional’ gender roles and power dynamics are embraced.

“We really cannot underestimate the power of the anti-feminist algorithm, and how the manosphere can radicalise young men,” Plibersek warned. “Social media can push users into misogynistic content, even when they’re not looking for it.”

Plibersek claims that social media platforms are not changing their algorithms because much of social media thrives on division and conflict. But in focusing solely on conflict, we risk overlooking more positive online interactions that benefit young people, such as connecting with friends, finding content that represents their own identities and discovering creative expression and community support.

A friend of mine, an inner Sydney high-school teacher, told me she didn’t think a social media ban would be a realistic long-term solution for changing how young people interact with these platforms. Rather, providing them with the tools and knowledge to change their behaviour would be far more likely to have a lasting effect.

“I’ve had a lot of discussions with boys who follow influencers like Andrew Tate,” she told me. “But when I encourage them to examine their reality and the gender norms which they themselves experience, far more often than not, they’re able to see the flaws in Tate’s views.”

I believe the flaw in this proposed social media ban lies in placing most of the onus on children and their parents, rather than the companies that are responsible for and profit from these algorithms. In exempting these companies from protective policies and regulations, we endorse a system where staggering wealth justifies unchecked power and privilege.

So, instead of investing in underdeveloped age assurance tech that raises privacy concerns, why not demand that these platforms make it possible to disable the algorithm? We can invest in promoting positive role models for young men; role models who can provide guidance while emphasising respect for girls and women. Schools can continue to teach students the realities of pornography and the importance of consent.

Parents may not currently be able to control these algorithms, but they can encourage their children to limit social media use and set an example by curtailing their own. They can exemplify values of gender equity in the home and advocate for governmental accountability over social media platforms. By setting such examples, parents can feel more assured that, should their children stumble upon pornography like I did, they may be better equipped to recognise that what they’re witnessing is not a true reflection of the culture they live in.

Elena Macdonald works as the media and communications lead at Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia. She holds degrees from UTS and the University of Guadalajara, Mexico. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Creative Writing at the University of Sydney.

Explore more ideas about creating a more inclusive online future in our special Digital Divide Edition of Inner Sydney Voice Magazine.