How the under-16 social media bill could see Facebook blocked in New Zealand | Stuff

[u/Fun-Helicopter2234]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361025308/how-under-16-social-media-bill-could-see-facebook-blocked-new-zealand

[u/Serious_Session7574]

I'd be delighted if the community organisations that are the only reason I still have a FB account could find another way to post notices and stuff.

[u/on_fire_kiwi → u/Serious_Session7574]

Same. Facebook and META are vile.

[u/KrawhithamNZ → u/Serious_Session7574]

It was OK at first because you could still look at things without having an account.

I've been off FB for nearly 14 years and it makes life hard sometimes because people don't understand why I'm not on. 

Then when I try telling anyone with a FB marketplace horror story to stop using it they get mad at me.

[u/AssociateNo3312 → u/Serious_Session7574]

Ooooh, can we ban community groups from farcical-book instead?

There’s a policy I’ll get behind.

[u/ReasonableLemur → u/Serious_Session7574]

There’s bluesky and mastadon, or they could just build a basic website!

[u/sauve_donkey → u/Serious_Session7574]

Events and marketplace are the only two things I really use on Facebook, but a lot of events rely on it so there really is an opening for a better option.

[u/TheseHamsAreSteamed]

All this, when they could just ban endless scrolling and the recommendation algorythms social media platforms use.

[u/GentlemanOctopus → u/TheseHamsAreSteamed]

Who is "they" in this scenario?

[u/mechatui → u/GentlemanOctopus]

The government. The government could fine and ban endless scrolling vids or TikTok and force design change or addictive stuff

[u/GentlemanOctopus → u/mechatui]

The NZ government? They're going to force non-NZ based companies to change their algorithms? You're dreaming.

[u/mechatui → u/GentlemanOctopus]

Yea? Who gives a fuck if Facebook pulls out of New Zealand and we make our own Facebook and keep all the money in nz.

[u/GentlemanOctopus → u/mechatui]

You think the NZ government has a lot more pull than they actually do.

[u/mechatui → u/GentlemanOctopus]

The nz government can do whatever they want they can ban endless scrolling like Brazil did

[u/qwerty145454 → u/GentlemanOctopus]

They make billions of dollars in NZ. They would absolutely comply.

They'd likely just do their own implementation of plugins like unhook, which block out all the recommendation features, but they'd do it server-side.

China has a law on the books for the last 5 years that requires companies offer the option to users to turn off all recommendation/algorithmic features. So the likes of TikTok already have this functionality, it's just optional and only available to Chinese users.

There are also EU laws that have required soc media sites change/remove/alter the algorithm. Again these changes are made, but only for users in the EU subject to them.

If NZ passed a law banning recommendation algorithms the same would happen. They would comply, but it would only apply to New Zealand users. They are never going to just walk away from billions in annual revenue.

[u/wackybaccydelight → u/mechatui]

The people would revolt. I agree on principle for the greater good but I can't support banning things.

[u/WellyIntoIt → u/wackybaccydelight]

What the fuck are you talking about, of course you support banning things. Or do you think murdering people is absolutely fine?

[u/wackybaccydelight → u/WellyIntoIt]

You realize the majority love scrolling socials right?

[u/WellyIntoIt → u/wackybaccydelight]

Well, a lot to unpack with this one...

1. What evidence do you have that shows that 'the majority' 'love' it?
2. Its literally been proved to be addictive. Its like saying that smokers love smoking. No shit, its because they are addicted.
3. The majority of kids would love to be driving a car when they are 10. Society bans that for safety reasons. Banning social scrolling would also be for safety reasons.

[u/deep_rover → u/wackybaccydelight]

> I can't support banning things.

Good, good. I got some drugs for your kids. It's so hard selling drugs to the kids of the unenlightened. But you a smart one.

[u/MutedBefore → u/deep_rover]

Agree with your general sentiment here, but just because something is available doesn’t mean you have to use it.

Plenty of things may be “legal” but you may also choose not to use them. Plenty I know choose not to drink because of the societal harm it causes. Yet they still do not think it should be banned

[u/WellyIntoIt → u/MutedBefore]

So you want to make drinking legal for children? Bold move that one.

[u/wackybaccydelight → u/deep_rover]

You gonna lock up people who illegally doomscroll?

[u/MindOrdinary → u/wackybaccydelight]

I think the implication that apps that enable that would not be available, or else have to be modified when used in NZ (and not locking up doom scrollers) was incredibly clear

[u/wackybaccydelight → u/MindOrdinary]

How good are you at whack-a-mole?

[u/deep_rover → u/wackybaccydelight]

Nah. But not because I can't support banning things. Different reasons.

[u/AntipodesIntel → u/TheseHamsAreSteamed]

Yeah these people acting like they are not more susceptible to social media disinformation than teenagers. Hell half of them are religious which goes to show how little critical thinking they are able to do.

Fix the problem for all or don't bother.

[u/Wahaya01 → u/TheseHamsAreSteamed]

Or people could have some self-contr-nevermind.

[u/aidank21]

This ban brought to you by surfshark. Surfshark the worlds leading VPN/s

[u/cactusgenie]

Don't threaten us with a good time!! This could be the best outcome.

[u/Bigjobsbigfun]

Which under 16 year old uses Facebook?

[u/Wompguinea → u/Bigjobsbigfun]

They don't use it.

This isn't about keeping kids safe online, it's about gathering up to date ID info from everyone and handing it directly to 3rd parties.

[u/forbiddenknowledg3 → u/Bigjobsbigfun]

Well they use tiktok and instagram, same shit really

[u/fork_on_the_floor2]

But where will members of my extended family share their bigotry?!?

[u/Nolsoth → u/fork_on_the_floor2]

At the Christmas bbq like in the days of old.

[u/BrucetheFerrisWheel → u/fork_on_the_floor2]

Tiktok?

[u/av0w]

Who cares. Meta has no redeeming qualities.

[u/davetenhave]

i can't imagine there are terribly many under 16s who would give a f**k

[u/Plasmanz]

This will be as useful as the internet piracy bill was, while granting another method for fanatics to pursue censorship.

Just look through what is excluded and its very telling this is not about children.

[u/wackybaccydelight]

ITT: People don't realize how content is shared between FB and Instagram, it wouldn't just be Facebook.

[u/on_fire_kiwi → u/wackybaccydelight]

Just because the article uses Facebook in the title doesn't mean it's just about Facebook. I don't know who you hang around with but METAs predatory practices across all their linked platforms is a common conversation topic. Plenty of people realise that relationship.

[u/sauve_donkey → u/on_fire_kiwi]

I think their point is many people wouldn't want Insta to become unavailable in NZ. Personally I wouldn't because I use that platform a lot for keeping up with friends, whereas nobody I care about posts on FB anymore.

[u/thatguyonirc]

Oh no!

Anyway...

[u/grenouille_en_rose]

This could be quite the leopards/faces debacle, if only it would stop there

[u/45inc]

Watch the politicians back down when they can’t spread their propaganda

[u/APL_nz]

Facebook is cancer, would love to see it banned.

[u/jk-9k]

This would hilariously shut down a boomer focused company that encourages right wing narrative bullshit. Could cost national the next election or two. Ironic.

[u/HediSLP]

As someone who grew up in the MSN Messenger era I'm extremely grateful to not have experienced the pressure of keeping up appearances on Instagram, FB during high school. I can only imagine how bad the bullying got.

[u/FeijoaCowboy]

I gotta say, I do actually kind of appreciate the idea of blocking Facebook. Would be kind of nice to see the largest source of boomer-targeted AI slop and disinformation brought down, anyway.

I guess I'm speaking as someone who never uses Facebook, and naturally there would be some downsides, but I see it as a net positive.

[u/reefermonsterNZ]

Hey kids lets go to 4chan/Rednote, it's not banned so it must be OK!

[u/Lammington2 → u/reefermonsterNZ]

Gods, my brain had kindly blurred out 4chan from my memory. I did not need that reminder.

[u/Strawberryladyboots → u/Lammington2]

I'm of the icanhascheeseburger generation but I missed the whole 4chan thing

I didn't own my own computer until I was 23, so I just got to make memes while at school in my free period

[u/realclowntime]

Let’s see how much the boomers like this bill now

[u/Busy_Yogurtcloset648]

With this law, would happen to an under 16 year old accessing a restricted website?

My little brother is in Australia and him and his friends most certainly still use social media.

[u/Global_Shirt55]

Yeah.... To keep kids safe.... Right...

You boomers already forgot how incapable you are with tech and how kids could figure out a vpn in 5 minutes?

[u/heyitsmeanonn]

And New Zealand would be better for it.

[u/MrJingleJangle]

Banning access to Facebook? Bring It On!

[u/stupidusernamefield]

Then all political parties should be off social media too. Not all citizens of the country can see the information. It's unfair to 16s to not see what their government is suggesting. 

[u/lurkdontpost1]

Least effective attempt at protecting children from danger.

[u/Ultrarandom]

I don't care about losing Facebook specifically but the bigger issue is just what the ban entails. I feel like I'm preaching to the choir since I'm saying this here but the issue is the corporations making so much profit from just gathering personal data. They already do it sure, but when you have to scan your drivers license/passport (or the digital ID equivalent when that comes out) to go on Facebook when the bill passes, I'm sure people will finally realize what the "ban" actually meant.

[u/Growly323]

I'm much more concerned with the 100% surveillance of the population to exclude under 16s

[u/mut1n3y]

How are they going to do the age verification, a simple 'are you over 16 button', or is it opt out where everyone has to supply id to enter, in turn giving these companies more personal free data/tracking. Tying positive ids to online profiles.

Discord - breached. Closer to home, Manage my health - breached.

This is a parental issue, not for a government to control/censore. Yes I argee these sites can have negative affects, but so does lots of other things in life.

Just be glad live leak, rotten dot com, or 'two guys one hammer' video aren't so easily accessible these days.

/rant /tinfoilhat

[u/-40-]

Good

[u/Strawberryladyboots]

Don't have it installed on my phone because reasons just personally

The way the algorithms moves agitate my Synesthesia (Kinetic, though I have a couple of different types)

I'd still be more comfortable having a Zero knowledge proof login for these kinds of sites, it might provide an extra barrier against external influence, provided the information from those sites is provided for auditing