Australia plans kids’ social media ban: BBC Learning English from the News
Summary
TLDRIn this BBC Learning English podcast, hosts Phil and Georgie discuss Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's proposal to ban children under 14 from social media. They explore the debate surrounding the enforceability and potential drawbacks of such a ban, including concerns that it might hinder access to mental health support and important information. The episode also examines the expressions 'enough is enough' and 'dummy spit,' providing context and examples of their usage in relation to the news story.
Takeaways
- 🇦🇺 The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has announced plans to ban young people from social media sites, specifically targeting children under 14.
- 🚫 Critics have raised concerns about the enforceability of such a ban and its potential to restrict access to important information for young people.
- 🌐 The proposed ban is controversial, with some experts in youth mental health arguing it could cut off children from mental health support and limit their ability to express concerns.
- 🏥 The South Coast Register headline highlights that a social media ban might pose a barrier to mental health support for young people.
- 🚧 The use of the verb 'pose' in the context of the ban suggests that it could cause or create a barrier, which is a formal way of expressing causation.
- 🚫 Another criticism mentioned is that the ban might lead children to more risky websites, implying that simply banning social media is not a comprehensive solution.
- 🗞️ The Guardian's headline criticizes the government's approach, suggesting that creating an internet specifically for children is a better solution than a ban.
- 👶 The expression 'dummy spit' is explained as a noun phrase derived from an idiom indicating an angry, possibly childish reaction to a situation.
- 📈 The script uses real news headlines to teach English vocabulary in context, demonstrating the application of words like 'enough is enough' and 'pose a barrier'.
- 🎓 The podcast format of 'Learning English from the News' is designed to help learners understand news headlines and improve their vocabulary through current events.
Q & A
What is the main topic discussed in the BBC Learning English podcast episode?
-The main topic discussed is the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's announcement of plans to ban young people, specifically children under 14, from social media sites.
What is the proposed age limit for the social media ban in Australia as mentioned in the podcast?
-The proposed age limit for the social media ban in Australia is for children under the age of 14.
What is the expression 'enough is enough' used to convey in the context of the podcast?
-The expression 'enough is enough' is used to convey that a problem has persisted for too long or become so serious that decisive action is needed to stop it.
How might the proposed ban affect children's access to mental health support, as discussed in the podcast?
-The proposed ban might pose a barrier to mental health support by potentially cutting off children from sources of support and limiting their opportunities to voice concerns about different issues.
What does the term 'pose a barrier' mean in the context of the South Coast Register headline?
-In the context of the South Coast Register headline, 'pose a barrier' means to cause an obstacle or hindrance, in this case, to accessing mental health support.
What is the idiomatic expression 'dummy spit' and how is it used in the podcast?
-The idiomatic expression 'dummy spit' refers to an angry reaction, often suggesting that the reaction is childish. In the podcast, it is used to describe a critical view of the Australian government's planned social media ban as an ineffective solution.
What is the alternative to the social media ban suggested in the Guardian headline mentioned in the podcast?
-The alternative suggested in the Guardian headline is the need for an internet specifically designed for children, implying a more tailored and safe online environment.
What is the potential criticism of the social media ban mentioned in the podcast?
-A potential criticism of the social media ban is that it might lead children to access different, possibly riskier websites, instead of the mainstream social media sites.
How does the podcast suggest the expression 'spit out your dummy' is typically used?
-The podcast suggests that the expression 'spit out your dummy' is typically used to describe a reaction that is childish or dramatic, and it is often used critically to imply that someone is complaining unfairly or overreacting.
What other expression has a similar meaning to 'spit out your dummy' as mentioned in the podcast?
-The podcast mentions that the expression 'throw your toys out of the pram' has a similar meaning to 'spit out your dummy', both implying a childish or dramatic reaction.
Where can listeners find more information about the vocabulary and headlines discussed in the podcast?
-Listeners can find more information about the vocabulary and headlines discussed in the podcast on the BBC Learning English website: BBCLearningEnglish.com.
Outlines
🚫 Australia's Proposed Social Media Ban for Children
This segment of the BBC Learning English podcast discusses the Australian Prime Minister's announcement of a potential ban on social media for children under 14. The hosts, Phil and Georgie, explore the implications of such a ban, including the difficulty of enforcement and concerns that it might hinder young people's access to vital information. They analyze the use of the phrase 'enough is enough' in the context of taking action against a persistent problem. The conversation also touches on the potential negative effects of the ban, such as cutting off children from mental health support and their ability to express their views on various issues. The hosts provide examples of how the phrase 'enough is enough' can be used in everyday language and discuss the formal use of the verb 'pose' to indicate causing an issue or barrier.
🤬 Understanding 'Dummy Spit' and Its Implications
In the second paragraph, the podcast continues to delve into the proposed social media ban in Australia, focusing on the criticism that such a measure might not address the core issues of children's online safety. The hosts introduce the Australian idiom 'dummy spit,' which describes an angry, potentially childish reaction to a situation. They explain that this expression is used critically to describe an overreaction or an unfair complaint. The conversation suggests that merely banning social media might not be the solution and that a more comprehensive approach, such as creating an internet environment specifically for children, might be more effective. The segment ends with a reminder to listeners about the availability of other BBC Learning English podcasts and the brand's presence on social media.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Ban
💡Social Media
💡Critics
💡Mental Health Support
💡Controversial
💡Dummy Spit
💡Pose a Barrier
💡Youth Mental Health
💡Enforce
💡Enough is Enough
💡Risky
Highlights
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announces plans to ban young people from social media sites.
The ban is likely to apply to children under 14.
Critics question whether the ban can be enforced.
Concerns that the ban may block young people from information about important issues.
Expression 'enough is enough' used to indicate a problem that has become serious and needs to stop.
Criticism that the ban could leave children cut off from mental health support.
Headline from South Coast Register: 'Social media ban poses barrier to mental health support'.
Explanation of the verb 'pose' meaning 'cause' in the context of the headline.
Criticism that the ban might lead children to access riskier websites.
Headline from The Guardian: 'Australia's dummy spit over kids on social media isn't the answer. We need an internet for children.'
Explanation of the expression 'dummy spit' indicating a childish or dramatic reaction.
Suggestion that just banning social media is unlikely to solve children's online problems.
Recommendation for an internet designed specifically for children.
Invitation to search for the podcast 'Learning English Conversations' for more idioms.
Reminder that BBC Learning English is also available on social media.
Transcripts
From BBC Learning English,
this is Learning English from the News - our podcast about the news headlines.
In this programme: Banning teenagers from social media -
could this happen in Australia?
Hello, I'm Phil. And I'm Georgie.
In this programme we look at one big news story
and the vocabulary in the headlines that will help you understand it.
You can find all the vocabulary and headlines from this episode,
as well as a worksheet on our website: BBCLearningEnglish.com
So let's hear more about this story.
Okay, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced plans
to ban young people from social media sites.
The ban is likely to apply to children under 14,
but critics have questioned whether it can actually be enforced.
Also, some people are worried that this approach may block young people
from information about important issues.
And I have a headline here that talks about this announcement.
It's from GB News. Australia set to ban social media for children under 14:
'Enough is enough'
That headline again.
Australia set to ban social media for children under 14:
'Enough is enough'
And that's from GB News.
This headline is talking about
Australian Prime Minister Albanese's announcement.
And we have this expression 'enough is enough'.
Now, we all know what enough means, but when do we use it like this?
We usually use it when a problem has carried on for too long,
or become so serious that we just want it to stop.
Yes, and often it's used
when you're about to do something about the problem, isn't it?
Yes. So, um, well, it's related to this story, actually.
But, um, in my home, we got fed up with our children being
on their phones all weekend, so we just said "enough is enough",
and now we only let them have their phones for an hour
a day. Wow, Phil.
That's a bit harsh!
It's for their own good.
We've had enough is enough -
what we say when we want a problem to stop.
So, for example, the price of petrol has gone up so much
I just said enough is enough and bought a bicycle.
This is Learning English from The News, our podcast about the news headlines.
Today we're talking about a proposed ban on young people using social media
in Australia.
Now, this measure is controversial
and has been criticised by some experts in youth mental health.
Yes, they've pointed out that banning children from social media
could leave them cut off from sources of mental health support
and limit their opportunity to voice their concerns about different issues.
And our next headline is about this.
It's from the South Coast Register in Australia.
Social media ban poses barrier to mental health support.
Okay, let's hear that again.
That's social media ban poses barrier to mental health support.
And that's from the South Coast Register.
Okay, so this headline is saying that a ban on social media
for young people could stop them accessing mental health support.
And we're looking at the verb 'pose'.
Now pose makes me think of posing for a photo,
but what sense is it being used in here?
Okay, pose has different meanings,
but used like it is in this headline - pose a barrier -
it can mean 'cause'. That's right,
so something can pose a threat, pose a problem and, in this case, pose a barrier.
Also, if something poses a question, it raises an issue
and makes us think about it.
Yes, now it is quite formal,
so you're probably more likely to see it written down.
You might see a report saying 'high interest rates pose a barrier
to home ownership.'
So we had pose and it means cause.
For example, high fees pose a barrier to university access.
This is Learning English from the News from BBC Learning English.
We're talking about a proposed ban on social media
for young people in Australia.
Another criticism of the Australian government's planned social media ban
is that it might just lead children to access different kinds of websites
that could be even more risky than big social media sites.
And here's our next headline.
This is from The Guardian in the UK.
Australia's dummy spit over kids on social media isn't the answer.
We need an internet for children.
Okay. And again,
Australia's dummy spit over kids on social media isn't the answer.
We need an internet for children.
And that's from the Guardian.
So the writer of this headline is saying that just banning social media
is unlikely to solve the problems that children have online.
And the expression we're looking at is 'dummy spit'.
Can you tell us a bit more, Phil?
Okay, well, this is a noun phrase that's been taken from an idiom
to spit out your dummy.
Now a dummy -
that's what you give a baby.
It's the thing that you put in their mouth
that they can suck on to calm down.
Yes, the idiom to spit out your dummy is not literal,
but it refers to an angry reaction to something.
It might also be suggesting that the reaction is a bit childish.
And we actually have another expression with a similar meaning throw your toys
out of the pram, which again means you react in a childish or dramatic way.
Yes, you wouldn't usually say someone spat out their dummy
if you agree with their reaction, it's quite critical.
Yeah, and perhaps if you thought someone was complaining unfairly
about something at work,
then you could maybe say "Oh, they're just spitting out their dummy." Exactly.
So we had spit out your dummy - to react in a childish way.
For example, don't spit your dummy out -
I just asked you to tidy up!
That's it for this episode of Learning English from the News.
We'll be back next week with another news story.
Now, if you've enjoyed this programme
and you really want to learn some new idioms,
search for our podcast Learning English Conversations
in your favourite podcast app.
And don't forget we're on social media. Search for BBC Learning English.
Bye for now. Goodbye.
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