Australia’s government says it will introduce “world-leading” legislation to ban children under 16 from social media.....Read Full Article>>

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the proposed laws, to be tabled in parliament next week, were aimed at mitigating the “harm” social media was inflicting on Australian children.

“This one is for the mums and dads… They, like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online. I want Australian families to know that the government has your back,” he said.

While many of the details are yet to be debated, the government said the ban will not apply to young people already on social media.

There will be no exemptions on the age limit for children who have consent from their parents. The government says that the onus will be on social media platforms to show they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access.

Albanese said there would be no penalties for users, and that it would be up to Australia’s online regulator – the eSafety Commissioner – to enforce the laws.

The legislation would come into force 12 months after it passes and be subject to a review after it’s in place.

While most experts agree that social media platforms can harm the mental health of adolescents, many are split over the efficacy of trying to outlaw them all together.

Some experts argue that bans only delay young people’s exposure to apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, instead of teaching them how to navigate complex online spaces.

Previous attempts at restricting access, including by the European Union, have failed or found the implementation challenging given that there are tools which can circumvent age-verification requirements.

One of Australia’s largest advocacy groups for child rights has criticised the proposed ban as “too blunt an instrument”.

In an open letter sent to the government in October, signed by over 100 academics and 20 civil society organisations, the Australian Child Rights Taskforce called on Albanese to instead look at imposing “safety standards” on social media platforms.

The group also pointed to UN advice that “national policies” designed to regulate online spaces “should be aimed at providing children with the opportunity to benefit from engaging with the digital environment and ensuring their safe access to it”.

But other grassroots campaigners have lobbied Australia’s government for the laws, saying bans are needed to protect children from harmful content, misinformation, bullying and other social pressures.

A petition by the 36Months initiative, which has over 125,000 signatures, argues children are “not yet ready to navigate online social networks safely” until at least 16, and that currently “excessive social media use is rewiring young brains within a critical window of psychological development, causing an epidemic of mental illness”.

When asked whether there should be broader efforts to educate children about how to navigate the benefits and risks of being online, Albanese said that such an approach would be insufficient because it “assumes an equal power relationship”.

“I don’t know about you, but I get things popping up on my system that I don’t want to see. Let alone a vulnerable 14-year-old,” he told reporters on Thursday.

“These tech companies are incredibly powerful. These apps have algorithms that drive people towards certain behaviour.”

The youth leader of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Osun State, Olanrewaju Taiwo Hassan, has affirmed that the present political narratives in the state will change before and after the 2026 gubernatorial election.....Read Full Article>>

He stated this in a press statement personally signed by him and made available to news men in Osogbo, the state capital.

Olanrewaju noted that the happenings around Osun and Nigeria presently are ·pointers to the fact that vast and energetic personalities are needed in the helms of affairs not those with archaic impart.

He said Nigeria youths are ambitious and promising and it is high time they come together in other to use their numerical in taking their destiny in politics in their own hands.

According to him, gone are the days when elders will use and dump youths in achieving their personal ambition for electoral victory.

NNPP Youths, Olanrewaju said, are ready to wrestle power from domineering political parties in Osun, come 2026 gubernatorial election as well as 2027 general elections.

He however charged youths to start echoing it in the ears of greedy politicians that may want to use them again, that they too are interested in becoming the leaders.

”Osun state needs fresh blood to witness rapid economic growth, we cannot continue to put the same set of people in a place and expect different results. Those elder ones have limitation and their capacities are limited.

”Let them realise that we have all what it takes to lead this state right. Let’s desist from whatever that can impound our ambitions. We have ideas that can transform this state for better, let’s come together and pursue this with one voice, we can do it.

In a bold and incendiary claim, Hajia Naja’ atu Mohammed, a former Director of the Presidential Campaign Council for Nigeria’ s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has accused the party’ s vice presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima, of being a supporter of terrorism. This assertion was made during a recent interview on Arise Television, where she recounted troubling incidents linking Shettima to terrorism.....Read Full Article>>

Naja’ atu alleged that Kabiru Sokoto, a notorious figure wanted for terrorism, was apprehended at Shettima’ s residence when he was governor of Borno State. This revelation adds to her criticism of the APC, particularly in light of her resignation from the party just weeks before the February 25 elections. She stated that ongoing developments in Nigeria’ s political landscape had rendered her participation in party politics untenable.

In response to her departure, the Tinubu campaign team described Naja’ atu’ s resignation as a facade, asserting that she was dismissed for allegedly acting as a spy within the campaign. However, Naja’ atu remained undeterred, emphasizing her concerns regarding national security. She argued that the political environment must foster safety before any meaningful governance can take place, and questioned the logic of having individuals with questionable backgrounds in positions of power.
‘Shettima Sponsors Terrorism’, Former

She expressed deep misgivings about Shettima’ s connections, suggesting that his associations with individuals tried for serious crimes, such as drug trafficking, were alarming. Naja’ atu called for a collective effort among Nigerians to reclaim their nation from perceived threats, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
She further questioned the rationale behind existing flight restrictions in Zamfara, a state lacking an airport, while asserting that a vibrant trade in soil— rich in strategic minerals— is ongoing. According to her, this mineral wealth is the driving force behind the unrest in the region, as those in power seek to exploit these resources at the expense of local communities.
Naja’ atu’ s comments resonate with earlier statements made by Rabiu Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate from the New Nigeria Peoples Party, who also linked the turmoil in Nigeria’ s northern regions to struggles over mineral wealth. As the narrative surrounding security, governance, and resource management continues to develop, the implications of these allegations could have far- reaching consequences for Nigeria’ s political landscape.