Just did an interview with a student from Marcellin College about the proposed ban on social media for the under 16s.
I opposed it on three grounds:
1. People under the age of 16 have the rights to freedom of expression and to participate in society, and social media is where much of that happens.
2. Social media reduces social isolation and can provide support and fellowship for those who need it.
3. The tools used to enforce an age ban will also lead to privacy breaches and excess government control of everyone's use of the internet.
Thomas Beagle
npub1uv…kckl8
2026-06-10 00:53:43 UTC
Author Public Key
npub1uvymhl9vsrktk8kh6vpx8dtq4eakt3k2wdekkad89zne6h45776qhkckl8Seen on
wss://relay.momostr.pinkPublished at
2026-06-10 00:53:43 UTCEvent JSON
{
"id": "c89d4bd3335be8d46b089da5306bb750c221dacd9c0b01eb43b1d16157f8348f",
"pubkey": "e309bbfcac80ecbb1ed7d30263b560ae7b65c6ca73736b75a728a79d5eb4f7b4",
"created_at": 1781052823,
"kind": 1,
"tags": [
[
"proxy",
"https://mastodon.nz/@thomasbeagle/116723077833535733",
"web"
],
[
"proxy",
"https://mastodon.nz/users/thomasbeagle/statuses/116723077833535733",
"activitypub"
],
[
"L",
"pink.momostr"
],
[
"l",
"pink.momostr.activitypub:https://mastodon.nz/users/thomasbeagle/statuses/116723077833535733",
"pink.momostr"
],
[
"-"
]
],
"content": "Just did an interview with a student from Marcellin College about the proposed ban on social media for the under 16s.\n\nI opposed it on three grounds:\n\n1. People under the age of 16 have the rights to freedom of expression and to participate in society, and social media is where much of that happens.\n\n2. Social media reduces social isolation and can provide support and fellowship for those who need it.\n\n3. The tools used to enforce an age ban will also lead to privacy breaches and excess government control of everyone's use of the internet.",
"sig": "70c3129a6b5c1f82852ae1adb116ada27803a7c31fce3c4f5aadeec516ac4b795e8b7a588cb1a7b3d0db3196dbf971ade0dda1492a7797f3401a93669fadb0fb"
}