Josephine Le explores Australia's social media limits for children and their critical implications for safety in the maritime sector.
Josephine Le, the founder of the social media platform The Hood, addressed the lessons that Australia’s decision to restrict children's access to social media holds for the maritime sector in an article published today in Splash. According to Le, this decision is not merely a regulation regarding parenting or the protection of youth; it serves as a direct warning for critical sectors concerning safety.
The Debate is Misframed
Australia's decision to limit social media use for children under 16 is being discussed in the public sphere through the lens of screen time and parental control. However, Le argues that this approach misses the main point. This framing leads sectors like maritime to view the issue as 'someone else’s problem.' In fact, the decision points to a risk area that should be very familiar to the sector.
Platform Design is Not Neutral
Le emphasizes that there is a significant acknowledgment underlying Australia’s move: Digital platform designs shape behaviors, and this influence is neither neutral nor harmless. This acknowledgment holds particular importance for the maritime sector, where human performance, rest, attention, and judgment are central to safe operations.
Not a Ban, but Targeted Limitation
The law in question does not aim to completely sever communication for young people. Messaging applications, email, and voice and video communication services continue to be used. The regulation specifically targets social media platforms based on open streams, algorithmic amplification, and interaction models that reward attention. This distinction is noted to have direct implications in safety-critical working environments.
Attention Economy and Predictable Risks
The rationale of the Australian government is clear: Mainstream social media platforms are designed to capture attention and monetize it. Cyberbullying, harmful content, sexual exploitation, and addictive designs are, according to Le, not coincidental; they are predictable outcomes of systems optimized for advertising revenue and scalability. Delaying access aims to reduce the exposure of individuals in developmental stages to these dynamics, rather than rejecting digital connection outright.
Adults are Also Affected by the Same Mechanisms
The maritime sector has been slow to recognize that these design mechanisms continue to exert strong effects on adult users as well. Infinite scrolling, constant notifications, and algorithmic content loops disrupt sleep, fragment concentration, and make it difficult to regain attention.
While many sectors still address this situation as a general well-being issue, Le argues that this approach is insufficient in maritime. Fatigue and distraction are among the most common causes of maritime accidents, and human error remains a dominant factor in investigations.
Seafarers' Digital Experience is Different
Seafarers' interaction with digital platforms is significantly different from that of onshore users. Connectivity is intermittent, unpredictable, and time-limited. When short windows of online availability open, platforms designed to maximize interaction work exactly as intended, keeping users engaged for much longer than planned.
Le argues that while the sector makes serious investments in safety management systems, training programs, and fatigue mitigation, it largely overlooks how digital platform design competes for attention in the background.
A Direct Warning for Maritime
According to Le, Australia’s decision is therefore directly significant for the maritime sector. The issue is not whether seafarers stay connected; it is whether the platforms used align with the needs and expectations of individuals working in safety-critical roles.
Not All Platforms are the Same
Le emphasizes that digital platforms are often viewed as interchangeable, but the real risks stem from viral growth and advertising-focused platforms. The success of these platforms relies on keeping users online for as long as possible, and the side effects often take a back seat.
The Hood Model: An Alternative Approach
The Hood platform is designed with different priorities based on these realities. No ads, no algorithmic feeds, no infinite interactions. Users are verified, communities are moderated, and interactions are consciously limited rather than designed to be addictive. This approach is said to be inspired by the living conditions at sea.
Not a 'Lifestyle Product,' but an Infrastructure Element
According to Le, digital platforms in maritime are not consumer products or lifestyle tools. These platforms are part of the human infrastructure that connects seafarers, who work away from home for months, with their employers, colleagues, and support networks. Therefore, they deserve higher safety and accountability standards than those applied to consumer social media.
Design is Also a Safety Issue
In conclusion, Le underscores that Australia’s move is about acknowledging that design choices can create risks, rather than banning connectivity. Reminding that the maritime sector is well aware that overlooked risks rarely remain small, Le emphasizes that digital platform design should not become another area of neglect that the sector will have to explain in the future.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
