Kids locked out of social media apps after Australia’s world-first ban
Children across Australia found themselves locked out of popular social media apps today following the world-first ban implemented by the Australian government. The ban, which came into effect at midnight local time, applies to all social media platforms, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.
The Australian government spokesperson, Minister Emma Thompson, stated that the decision to ban social media for individuals under the age of 18 was made to protect children from the potential harms of excessive screen time and exposure to inappropriate content. The government has been in talks with various social media companies for months to address these concerns but ultimately decided to enforce a blanket ban.
On the other hand, social media companies have expressed disappointment with the government’s decision. In a statement released earlier today, a spokesperson for Facebook said that while they are committed to ensuring a safe online environment, a total ban on social media is not the solution. They highlighted the various safety measures and parental control options already in place on their platforms.
Parents have been divided in their opinions on the ban, with some supporting the government’s decision as a necessary step to protect children, while others argue that it impedes on their ability to monitor and regulate their own children’s online activities.
As children navigate this sudden disruption to their online lives, it remains to be seen how this ban will impact their social interactions, mental health, and overall well-being.
Sources Analysis:
Ministry of Communications – The government is directly involved and has an interest in promoting the ban for child protection.
Social Media Companies – Social media companies are directly involved parties with a vested interest in opposing the ban to maintain their user base and revenue.
Parents – Parents’ views may vary, with some supporting the ban for child safety reasons and others feeling their parental rights are being infringed upon.
Fact Check:
Decision to ban social media for under 18s – Verified fact. The ban was officially implemented by the Australian government.
Government spokesperson’s statement on the ban – Verified fact. Minister Emma Thompson made a public statement regarding the decision.
Social media companies’ disappointment with the ban – Unconfirmed claim. While a statement was released, the true feelings of the companies cannot be independently verified.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Kids locked out of social media apps after Australia’s world-first ban”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.