Questions
Technology & System Design
- System Mapping: Based on how Data moves from a phone, through a router/cellular tower, and to a server, why is it technically harder to block social media at a local coffee shop’s Wi-Fi router compared to a home router?
- The Flaw of AI: Why are computer vision and AI models inherently flawed when trying to determine if a teenager is exactly 15 versus 16 years old?
- The Security Loophole: If an age-verification System relies on a credit card check or a device profile (like Apple or Google), what are the easiest ways someone could circumvent (bypass) that block?
Policy & Responsibility
- The “Seller” vs. “Buyer” Model: Do you agree with the government’s approach to punish the social media companies with massive fines instead of punishing the parents or the kids who sneak onto the platforms? Why or why not?
- The Power of Gatekeepers: If we rely on Apple and Google to verify ages via their phone operating systems, we make two private corporations the ultimate gatekeepers of the Internet. What are the potential dangers of giving tech giants that much societal Control?
Ethics & Privacy
- Privacy Trade-offs: To safely prove your age, are you personally comfortable scanning your passport, using a digital ID, or submitting your face to a third-party company every time you want to try a new app? Where do you draw the line between protecting children and losing personal privacy?
- The Collateral Damage: One criticism mentioned is that strict blocks might prevent under-16s from visiting legitimate, helpful sites for hobbies or communities of like-minded people. How can a System protect kids from “addictive” scrolling without cutting off their access to healthy Internet spaces?
Cultural & Societal Shifts
- The “Seatbelt Effect”: Do you think a social media ban will behave like drunk-driving or seatbelt laws—gradually changing society’s habits over a generation until it just becomes “normal” not to use these apps until you are 16? Or will it just create a massive underground culture of kids using VPNs?
- Designing Better Spaces: Think about platforms targeted at younger users (like YouTube Kids). Why do many teenagers find them unappealing? If you were a product designer, how would you Design a “safe Internet space” that people under 16 would actually want to use?
