This is the Wilmington Standard Daily Update for Thursday December 11th, 2025.

A recently passed law in Australia bans anyone under the age of 16 from having a social media account – including Facebook, Instagram and X.

Many US states- including North Carolina – are considering similar laws that require age verification and parental consent.  In the short term, at least, these laws might curb social media use and get kids out of their cell phones, away from dangerous interactions online, and into the real world around them

It won’t last.

Children – who are much more tech savvy than their parents – will always find ways to get around the letter of the law – and there are plenty of tech companies out there that will help them.  In many ways, the internet and application development is still the Wild Wild West – and always one step ahead of the law.

The answer – of course – is parental involvement.  Parents need to be parents – even when it comes to their child’s cell phone and internet use.

Children need to hand in their cell phones every night at least an hour before bed – as studies show that social media engagement at night has a profound effect on sleep and depression.

Parents need to institute internet time that allows their children to get their studies done – and then turn it off so their child can disconnect.

We need to get rid of this idea that children – whose brains are still developing both physically and emotionally – have the absolute right to privacy – especially when it comes to their actions online,  Parents need to know – and demand access to – every email, every text, every cell app and every social media interaction their child engages in.  Parents afterall probably pay for all of these services. 

But even more – it is the responsibility of parents to make sure that it is the family – and not the internet – that drives the growth of their child. 

For the Wilmington Standard, I’m Reuel Sample.  Thanks for listening.