Experts say banning social media is not the most effective way to protect children online and may instead push them toward less regulated digital spaces.
Blanket bans can backfire
A global wave of tighter regulation of social media use among minors is gaining momentum.
Countries including the UK and Australia have introduced or debated legislation aimed at restricting children's access to online platforms.
The move stems from efforts to protect young people from mental health risks and cyberbullying.
However, experience has shown that sweeping bans often fail to deliver the intended results.
With their strong familiarity with technology, young users can easily find ways around restrictions. Children can download and use virtual private networks (VPNs) to conceal their locations or misrepresent their age to gain access to accounts intended for adults.
The consequence of bypassing these barriers is that children may place themselves in online spaces with no protective filters, exposing them directly to harmful content.
Malina Enlund, Meta's Head of Policy and Safety for Asia-Pacific, told reporters on May 28: "Banning social media platforms is never the answer. Usually, when something is prohibited, children find a way around it. When that happens, we no longer know what they are doing, and they are no longer protected."
Malina Enlund, Meta's Head of Policy and Safety for Asia-Pacific, speaks with the media on May 28. Photo: Du Lam
Rather than building rigid barriers, the more sustainable solution lies in education and awareness. Ngo Minh Trang, Director of Vietnet-ICT, compares social media use to participating in traffic.
Just as we cannot keep children off the roads to avoid danger, we must equip them with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves. Experts believe parents should accompany their children through ongoing conversations and guidance.
Another issue raised is that children often create social media accounts without informing their parents. Drawing on five years of experience working with schools and families, Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Operations Director of the Anti-Scam Social Enterprise, said the root cause is that children "do not want to add their parents to their online social circles" because there is insufficient trust and connection.
Trust can only be built through everyday interactions, when parents spend more time engaging with their children and understanding their lives. According to Quynh, discussions about safe online behavior can only be effective once a strong foundation of trust has been established within the family.
Technical safeguards and the 13+ standard
Experts discuss child protection in the digital environment. From left: Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Operations Director of the Anti-Scam Social Enterprise; Ngo Minh Trang, Director of Vietnet-ICT; and Malina Enlund, Meta's Head of Policy and Safety for Asia-Pacific. Photo: Du Lam
Alongside education at home, technology companies are rapidly strengthening their own protective systems.
On May 28, Meta officially launched an upgraded version of its Teen Accounts feature on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger in Vietnam.
The update is being described as the most comprehensive enhancement since the feature's launch in 2025, aimed at reinforcing automatic protections for young users.
At the heart of the system is the alignment of content policies with standards similar to movie classifications intended for audiences aged 13 and above.
Based on these settings, the platform intensifies moderation by hiding or completely blocking recommendations containing sexual content, violent or graphic imagery, and adult-oriented products such as alcohol and tobacco.
In addition, posts containing inflammatory language, dangerous challenges or content that promotes risky behavior - including imagery of cannabis-use equipment - are automatically removed from young users' experiences.
The platform is also narrowing interaction opportunities to reduce the risk of online predation through a range of tools, including account controls and search filtering.
Specifically, teenagers will be unable to follow, send direct messages to, or view comments from accounts that frequently share inappropriate content.
This protection works in both directions, preventing violating accounts from reaching or interacting with young users.
Keyword moderation has been expanded to include sensitive terms such as "suicide," "self-harm," "eating disorders," "alcohol," and "violence." The system is being refined to detect and block such content even when users intentionally misspell words to avoid detection.
In addition, artificial intelligence has been tuned to avoid generating responses that fall outside the boundaries of content appropriate for a 13+ audience.
Violating content is removed from Explore, Reels, Feed, Stories, while harmful links sent through messages are also disabled.
To give parents with stricter standards greater control, the platform is introducing a new setting called "Content Limits."
This stricter mode will completely block the ability to view, write or receive comments and is expected to become officially available by the end of 2026.
For now, teen accounts across the company's ecosystem in Vietnam have automatically been switched to the 13+ mode.
Vietnamnet.vn
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