A Vision for Young Creators: Empowering Children in a Restrictive Digital Age
In recent years, we’ve seen growing concerns about the impact of social media on children. These concerns have led to new laws, like Australia’s recent ban on social media access for those under 16, which aim to protect young people from harm. While these intentions are understandable, I believe such restrictions take us further away from a vision of a better digital world—one where children are empowered, not excluded, and where they can begin to build their creative legacies as entertainers, innovators, and contributors to culture. The Problem with Restriction Modern social media has undeniable flaws: it exposes children to harmful interactions, addictive algorithms, and exploitative commercial practices. However, banning children outright from these spaces doesn’t solve the problem; it simply creates new barriers. For talented children with creative aspirations, these restrictions strip away opportunities to share their work with the world, build a following, and even begin a career...