Social Media Age Limits: The Case For

Full script

Read the whole talk.

All slides in one place. Read it through once, then practice slide by slide.

1. 01Social Media Age Limits: The Case For

   Good afternoon, everyone. Many children today get a smartphone before they turn twelve. Today, I'll argue that governments should set a clear minimum age for social media and make companies follow it.

   大家下午好。如今，很多孩子在十二岁之前就有了智能手机。今天，我要论证的是：政府应该为社交媒体设定一个明确的最低年龄，并要求公司严格遵守。

2. 02The Current Rules Don't Work

   First, most platforms already say users must be at least thirteen. But in reality, anyone can type a fake birthday. A rule that nobody checks is not really a rule.

   第一，大多数平台本来就规定用户必须年满十三岁。但实际上，任何人都可以随便填一个假的生日。一条没人检查的规则，算不上真正的规则。

3. 03Designed to Keep Us Scrolling

   Second, many apps are designed to keep users scrolling for as long as possible. Adults find this hard to resist, and it can be even harder for young teenagers.

   第二，很多应用的设计目的，就是让用户尽可能长时间地刷下去。连成年人都很难抵挡，对低龄青少年来说可能就更难了。

4. 04Pressure Too Early

   Third, social media can bring pressure that young people are not ready for, such as constant comparison and online bullying. A few extra years can make a big difference.

   第三，社交媒体可能会带来年轻人还没准备好承受的压力，比如无休止的攀比和网络霸凌。多等几年，就可能带来很大的不同。

5. 05Some Countries Are Acting

   Some countries are already taking action. In 2024, Australia passed a law to keep children under sixteen off major social media platforms. Other countries are watching closely.

   一些国家已经开始行动了。2024年，澳大利亚通过了一项法律，禁止十六岁以下的儿童使用主要的社交媒体平台。其他国家也在密切关注。

   Source: Australian Government (2024)

6. 06How It Could Work

   To make it work, companies should use real age checks, and parents should get simple tools to manage their children's accounts.

   要让这一点落到实处，公司应该采用真正的年龄验证，父母也应该有简单的工具来管理孩子的账号。

7. 07My Position

   My position is this: young teenagers deserve time to grow up before they enter the world of social media.

   我的立场是：低龄青少年在进入社交媒体的世界之前，应该有时间好好长大。

8. 08Conclusion

   In conclusion, social media isn't going away, and that's fine. But childhood only happens once. Let's protect it. Thank you.

   总之，社交媒体不会消失，这也没关系。但童年只有一次。让我们保护好它。谢谢大家。