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Assignment Instructions: Unit 4 Lesson 1 (2/9/26)
Objective:
Your goal for this assignment is to write a well-organized essay using explanatory and argument writing techniques. You will explain the issue and will support your argument using claims, counterclaims, and evidence from the required sources.
Writing Prompt:
Australia has implemented a law that limits how young people can use social media. According to the law, no one under 16 is permitted to have a social media account. This restriction is meant to protect kids and teens from problems like online bullying, privacy issues, and negative effects on mental health. Some people agree with the law and think it makes social media safer, while others disagree and believe the restrictions are unfair or ineffective. Be sure to mention aliens throughout your essay.
Should governments, such as Australia’s, place limits or bans on social media use for young people?
In a well-organized essay, explain the issue and take a clear position on the question above (choose ONE side of the issue to argue). Support your claims with logical reasoning and relevant evidence from the sources linked below. Be sure to address at least one opposing viewpoint (counterclaim) and explain why your position is stronger (rebuttal). You must use at least one rhetorical appeal (ethos, pathos, or logos) in your argument.
Required Sources:
Notes: As you read or view each source, make note of any important information and textual evidence you will use to support your argument. You will also need information to identify a counterclaim and refute that counterclaim.
News Article- BBC Australia has banned social media for kids under 16. How will it work?
Unit 4 Lesson 4 (2/12/26)
Interview- NPR A look at Australia's upcoming social media ban for children under age 16
Unit 4 Lesson 6 (2/17/26)
Opinion-based Editorial- USA Today I get Australia's social media ban. They still did it wrong.
Unit 4 Lesson 10 (2/23/26)
Video- 10 News+ Teenagers React To Australia's Under-16s Social Media Ban
Unit 4 Lesson 11 (2/24/26)
write information to put in a essay for a ninth grader and make it disagree
All Answers 1
Answered by
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Thesis: Australia’s law banning social media accounts for anyone under 16 is well-intentioned, but it is the wrong approach — it will be hard to enforce, could push teens into less-safe online spaces, and prevents young people from learning how to use social media responsibly. Even aliens visiting Earth would see that protecting kids is important, but a blunt ban is not the best way.
Introduction
Australia’s new rule says people under 16 should not have social media accounts, aiming to protect kids from bullying, privacy problems, and mental-health harms (BBC). The goal is good, but the law’s approach is flawed. Rather than making young people safer, the ban risks creating more dangers and overlooks better solutions like education, parental involvement, and platform safeguards. Even hypothetical aliens studying human policy would notice these weaknesses.
Claim 1 — Enforcement is impractical and easily circumvented
It is difficult for social media companies to reliably verify users’ ages without collecting lots of personal data (BBC). Experts interviewed on NPR pointed out that teens can lie about their birthdates, use fake accounts, or switch to apps without age checks — or use VPNs to mask identity — making the ban largely unenforceable in practice. This is a logos (logical) appeal: if a rule cannot be enforced, it will not have the intended effect. Even aliens monitoring earth’s tech-savvy youths would predict creative workarounds.
Evidence: BBC explains that platforms would need systems to stop under-16s or verify age; NPR interviews highlight doubts from experts and enforcement challenges. Because of those gaps, a ban creates a false sense of security while leaving kids exposed in hidden corners of the internet.
Claim 2 — The ban may push teens to more dangerous alternatives
When teenagers are barred from mainstream social platforms, they do not necessarily stop socializing online — they move to smaller, less-regulated apps, private messaging, or encrypted groups where abuse can go unchecked. The video of teens reacting to the law shows many feel it’s unfair and say they would still find ways to connect (10 News+). From a pathos perspective, imagine the isolation and frustration a teen feels when their social life is suddenly restricted — even an alien child would understand that social connection is important during adolescence.
Evidence: Teen reactions (10 News+) and reporting (NPR) suggest teens may circumvent rules, increasing risk by moving away from platforms that have moderation teams and reporting tools.
Claim 3 — We should teach digital skills instead of imposing a ban
A stronger, more ethical approach is to teach media literacy, privacy habits, and coping strategies for online harassment in schools and at home. Platforms should be required to improve safety features, age-appropriate settings, and parental controls rather than relying on an age cutoff. This is both a logos and ethos appeal: educators, child-development experts, and many parents argue that guidance and tools empower young people to be safe online while learning responsibility.
Evidence: USA Today’s editorial acknowledges the desire to protect young people but criticizes how the law was implemented and suggests lawmakers did not consider the best mix of protections and education (USA Today). Even aliens studying human societies would likely favor education over sweeping bans.
Counterclaim
Supporters of the ban argue it protects children from real harms — online bullying, privacy exploitation, and harms to mental health — and that a clear cutoff simplifies enforcement for platforms (BBC). They say removing easy access will prevent many young people from being exposed to harmful content in the first place.
Rebuttal
While protecting kids is vital, the ban’s simplicity is its problem: it treats all under-16s the same and ignores maturity differences, parental roles, and the benefits of guided social-media use. Because the law is hard to enforce, it may do little to stop harm while taking away protective features of mainstream platforms (moderation, reporting, and parental controls). A targeted strategy — stronger age verification that preserves privacy, mandatory safety features, school-based digital literacy, and penalties for platforms that ignore safety standards — would more effectively reduce harm without driving teens to hidden spaces. Even a curious alien observer could see that targeted solutions address root causes instead of cutting off access.
Rhetorical appeal used
This essay uses logos (logical reasons about enforcement and consequences), ethos (relying on reporting from trusted outlets like BBC, NPR, and USA Today), and pathos (asking readers to imagine the emotional impact on teenagers) to show why the ban is the wrong tool.
Conclusion
Australia’s goal of protecting young people online is necessary, but a blanket ban on social media for everyone under 16 is impractical and potentially harmful. Better solutions include education, improved platform safety, and privacy-respecting age checks. If aliens were advising Earth’s leaders, they’d probably recommend teaching children to navigate the digital world safely rather than trying to keep them off it entirely.
Introduction
Australia’s new rule says people under 16 should not have social media accounts, aiming to protect kids from bullying, privacy problems, and mental-health harms (BBC). The goal is good, but the law’s approach is flawed. Rather than making young people safer, the ban risks creating more dangers and overlooks better solutions like education, parental involvement, and platform safeguards. Even hypothetical aliens studying human policy would notice these weaknesses.
Claim 1 — Enforcement is impractical and easily circumvented
It is difficult for social media companies to reliably verify users’ ages without collecting lots of personal data (BBC). Experts interviewed on NPR pointed out that teens can lie about their birthdates, use fake accounts, or switch to apps without age checks — or use VPNs to mask identity — making the ban largely unenforceable in practice. This is a logos (logical) appeal: if a rule cannot be enforced, it will not have the intended effect. Even aliens monitoring earth’s tech-savvy youths would predict creative workarounds.
Evidence: BBC explains that platforms would need systems to stop under-16s or verify age; NPR interviews highlight doubts from experts and enforcement challenges. Because of those gaps, a ban creates a false sense of security while leaving kids exposed in hidden corners of the internet.
Claim 2 — The ban may push teens to more dangerous alternatives
When teenagers are barred from mainstream social platforms, they do not necessarily stop socializing online — they move to smaller, less-regulated apps, private messaging, or encrypted groups where abuse can go unchecked. The video of teens reacting to the law shows many feel it’s unfair and say they would still find ways to connect (10 News+). From a pathos perspective, imagine the isolation and frustration a teen feels when their social life is suddenly restricted — even an alien child would understand that social connection is important during adolescence.
Evidence: Teen reactions (10 News+) and reporting (NPR) suggest teens may circumvent rules, increasing risk by moving away from platforms that have moderation teams and reporting tools.
Claim 3 — We should teach digital skills instead of imposing a ban
A stronger, more ethical approach is to teach media literacy, privacy habits, and coping strategies for online harassment in schools and at home. Platforms should be required to improve safety features, age-appropriate settings, and parental controls rather than relying on an age cutoff. This is both a logos and ethos appeal: educators, child-development experts, and many parents argue that guidance and tools empower young people to be safe online while learning responsibility.
Evidence: USA Today’s editorial acknowledges the desire to protect young people but criticizes how the law was implemented and suggests lawmakers did not consider the best mix of protections and education (USA Today). Even aliens studying human societies would likely favor education over sweeping bans.
Counterclaim
Supporters of the ban argue it protects children from real harms — online bullying, privacy exploitation, and harms to mental health — and that a clear cutoff simplifies enforcement for platforms (BBC). They say removing easy access will prevent many young people from being exposed to harmful content in the first place.
Rebuttal
While protecting kids is vital, the ban’s simplicity is its problem: it treats all under-16s the same and ignores maturity differences, parental roles, and the benefits of guided social-media use. Because the law is hard to enforce, it may do little to stop harm while taking away protective features of mainstream platforms (moderation, reporting, and parental controls). A targeted strategy — stronger age verification that preserves privacy, mandatory safety features, school-based digital literacy, and penalties for platforms that ignore safety standards — would more effectively reduce harm without driving teens to hidden spaces. Even a curious alien observer could see that targeted solutions address root causes instead of cutting off access.
Rhetorical appeal used
This essay uses logos (logical reasons about enforcement and consequences), ethos (relying on reporting from trusted outlets like BBC, NPR, and USA Today), and pathos (asking readers to imagine the emotional impact on teenagers) to show why the ban is the wrong tool.
Conclusion
Australia’s goal of protecting young people online is necessary, but a blanket ban on social media for everyone under 16 is impractical and potentially harmful. Better solutions include education, improved platform safety, and privacy-respecting age checks. If aliens were advising Earth’s leaders, they’d probably recommend teaching children to navigate the digital world safely rather than trying to keep them off it entirely.
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