Reading Summary | 閱讀摘要
English: Australia has banned children under 16 from joining social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Companies must check users’ ages and face fines up to $32.9 million if they fail. The Prime Minister said social media harms young minds, with 70% of children aged 10–15 exposed to harmful content such as misogyny, violence, eating disorders, and suicide. He encouraged kids to play sports, learn music, and spend time with family face-to-face. Some teens said they would feel lonelier, and two 15-year-olds are suing the government, claiming their right to free communication was taken away.
中文： 澳洲禁止 16 歲以下的兒童加入 Facebook、TikTok、YouTube 等社群平台。公司必須檢查用戶年齡，若未遵守，最高可罰款 3,290 萬美元。總理表示社群媒體傷害青少年心智，研究顯示 10–15 歲的兒童中有 70% 接觸到有害內容，包括厭女症、暴力、飲食失調與自殺。他鼓勵孩子參加運動、學音樂，並與家人朋友面對面相處。一些青少年表示會更孤單，兩名 15 歲少年甚至控告政府，認為他們的「自由交流權利」被剝奪。
Video | 影片
Key Vocabulary | 關鍵詞彙
- Ban (禁止) – to officially stop something.
- Social networks (社群網站) – platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok.
- Fine (罰款) – money paid as punishment.
- Identification (身份證明) – official documents to prove who you are.
- Misogyny (厭女症) – hatred or prejudice against women.
- Eating disorders (飲食失調) – unhealthy eating behaviors affecting health.
- Face-to-face (面對面) – meeting in person, not online.
- Right to free communication (自由交流的權利) – the ability to express and connect freely.
Comprehension Questions | 理解問題
- Who is banned from using social media in Australia? 在澳洲，誰被禁止使用社群媒體？
- What is the maximum fine for companies that break the law? 違法的公司最高會被罰多少錢？
- What harmful content did the study mention? 研究提到哪些有害內容？
- What alternatives did the Prime Minister suggest for children? 總理建議孩子做哪些替代活動？
- Why are two 15-year-olds suing the government? 為什麼兩名 15 歲少年控告政府？
4. Discussion Prompts | 討論題目
- Do you think banning teens from social media is a good idea? 你認為禁止青少年使用社群媒體是好主意嗎？
- How can children spend time in healthier ways? 孩子可以用哪些更健康的方式度過時間？
- Should governments control access to social media, or should parents decide? 政府應該管控社群媒體使用，還是由父母決定？
5. Practice Activity | 練習活動
👉 Fill in the blanks | 填空題- Children under __________ are banned from social media in Australia. 在澳洲，__________ 歲以下的兒童被禁止使用社群媒體。
- Companies may face fines up to __________ million dollars. 公司可能面臨最高 __________ 萬美元的罰款。
- The Prime Minister advised children to spend time __________ with family and friends. 總理建議孩子 __________ 與家人朋友相處。
