With the ban going into effect, I thought it might be helpful to allow people to share their experiences about the Australian teen social media ban and how it has affected them.
Note: For the Aussie Zone lemmy requirements, see here. Please use that thread for an Aussie Zone specific discussions or questions.
Good luck, everyone!
My suggestion would be to do something. Make something. Learn to code, learn graphic design, pick up another language, study a topic you’re interested in.
Whatever your health issues are there is a lot that you can do indoors - I’m assuming given how much you’ve been able to type that you can type, so learning to code is a great option.
There’s also role playing games - getting into a regular d and d game can be a great, social thing to do that is way more fulfilling than passively consuming content.
On top of all of that, pirate movies, pirate tv shows.
That would be my advice anyway.
Those are good ones.
I used to speak another language and unsuccessfully tried to code but my concentration is pretty bad.
I played a couple of sessions of tabletop games in the past but had to leave early because can’t sit upright for that long.
I would pirate but due to risks and lacking savvy I tend to just find the movies that haven’t been copyright struck yet and find art tutorials on social media. I’m genuinely considering getting myself some older physical media like the secondhand PS2 plus games and dvds, also a cd player or discman and adding to my collection of old cds. And getting lifts to the op shop or library for books.
I considered actual art classes but that’s not doable yet.
It’s mostly low energy social or entertainment for bad days that I’m after (or dopamine hits) but as you say those platforms are shit.
I get that you may have some very significant roadblocks in your life - and they may keep you from doing some things - but they don’t keep you from doing everything.
Your choices are your own to make but if you’re not happy just passively consuming brainrot - and doing so could violate your privacy - then you CAN do something else.
If your concentration is shit then work on getting better at it. If you can’t take art classes just make art.
There are always going to be a million reasons why you can’t or shouldn’t do something. These don’t mean the things are impossible. Just that they’re challenging.
Look - it’s not in me to tell you how to live your life. It doesn’t matter to me one way or the other. But I will say that a lot of what you just wrote sounds like excuses.
You don’t need to make excuses to me - because I don’t care. But please don’t make them to yourself.
If you’re happy with the way things are then cool. If not then there are other paths forward. If you want to take them.
It’s not excuses. I’m definitely not happy with the situation and working on changing it, don’t worry. (I had been gardening in pots before things worsened.)
The problem other than screentime though is that a. the platforms suck but not many good alternatives exist anymore and can potentially be wiped out, b. friends on shit platforms won’t leave or use email so they’re gone (especially international friends), and c. instead of addressing the actual harmful stuff done for profit the government simply pulled a 1984.
The biggest concern is the last one. The changes this will have on freedom of information and privacy. Potential escalation.
I guess I’m just going to have to find alternatives and hope nothing happens to this place.
I agree with you wholeheartedly about c.
All over the world governments are doing fuck all about rampant disinformation and destabilization from foreign actors with ill intent while ratcheting up attempts to spy on their own citizens.
A competent governments focus would be on stopping this bullshit from happening, not putting the screws to their own citizens.
While it could be argued that I’d verification would lessen or eliminate foreign actors on social media platforms, I doubt that argument would hold water when the reality of it all sets in.
Agreed. You’d hope it could curb that but then that would probably only make stolen identities more valuable.
I have a feeling my life is about to get more analog. As soon as I figure out oil paints
Well that’s something!