Letters to the Editor: Adapt app algorithms to make them child friendly

'At the end of the day, restrictions on media and apps usually lead to a boomerang effect of making them more popular'

E-scooters have been banned from footpaths since May 2024. File picture

Why is it that governments overreact when it comes to social media and technology?

First, there was our own pre-primary school smartphone ‘ban’ which led to the €9m (for pouches plus maintenance) budget fiasco and now Australia has initiated plans to ban social media for under 16s. They are underestimating the intelligence of students, who will use spare phones, virtual private networks, or (this next one is very technical) lie about their age when creating an account.