Arguments for my position:

• As social media / SNS becomes integral and addictive to adolescent life, children struggle to develop their digital identity while striving for privacy. Online regulations offer limited privacy protection for ages up to 13 - this young age does not reflect the age of adulthood. Minors require protection from adult social media, content and personal data collection / disclosure.

• Government should intervene and provide policies and stipulations regarding the enforcement of age restrictions up to a minimum of 18 years, thus mandating safer sites for children.

Argument #1: Government has the responsibility to protect children’s rights and freedoms.

• In developing policies to reduce threats, children's rights must not be overlooked. “The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child includes the right to freedom of assembly and expression as well as freedom from harm and privacy from the state, commerce and individuals” (Livingstone & Brake, 2010, p. 80).

Argument #2: Existing Child Online Protection Act (COPPA) falls short and requires governmental revision to reflect age of maturity.

• COPPA needs to be revised to provide adequate notice to adolescents, teens and parents of the use of personal information online (especially with regard to social networking websites) and a reasonable opportunity to agree to such activities (Matecki, 2010, p. 370).

Argument #3: Government must ensure that social networks follow universal rules to protect children from online abuse.

• New laws must be developed to safeguard children through the independent enforcement of common policies such as: requiring social networks to employ child safety moderators, public reporting of moderation practices, proactive alerting and filtering of harmful content, expanded privacy settings/controls (O'Neill, Staksrud, & McLaughlin, 2013, p. 210).

Sources:

• Livingstone, S., & Brake, D. R. (2010). On the Rapid Rise of Social Networking Sites: New Findings and Policy Implications. Children & Society, 24(1), 75-83. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.adelphi.edu/10.1111/j.1099-0860.2009.00243.x

Database or web link: ONEsearch
Type of Source: Scholarly
Is it peer reviewed, refereed or a legal review? Peer
Are there citations inside the article? Yes
Bias evaluation: Peer reviewed so assume no bias

• Matecki, L.A. (2010). Update: COPPA is Ineffective Legislation! Next Steps for Protecting Youth Privacy Rights in the Social Networking Era. Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy. 5, 369-402. Retrieved February 19, 2020, from https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/njlsp/vol5/iss2/7

Database or web link: See above
Type of Source: Scholarly
Is it peer reviewed, refereed or a legal review? Legal
Are there citations inside the article? Yes
Bias evaluation: Peer reviewed so assume no bias

• O'Neill, B, Staksrud, E., & McLaughlin, S. (Eds.). (2013). Towards a Better Internet for Children? Policy Pillars, Players, and Paradoxes. Göteborg: Nordicom/UNESCO Clearinghouse for Children and Media.

Database or web link: LSE Research Online database
Type of Source: Scholarly
Is it peer reviewed, refereed or a legal review? Refereed
Are there citations inside the article? Yes
Bias evaluation: Refereed reviewed so assume no bias

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