The Reading / Listening - Social Media - Level 3

A big change has happened in the social media world. Australia has banned children under the age of 16 from joining many social networks. New laws say the under-16s cannot open accounts with sites like Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube. It is now the responsibility of these social media sites to make sure all of their users are aged 16 or above. Australia's government said it would fine the companies if they allowed children to access their sites. The fines could be as much as $32.9 million. The companies said they would use different methods to check the age of their users. New users will have to upload identification and scan their faces.

Australia's Prime Minister said he introduced the ban because social media was harming young minds. He said a study showed that 70 per cent of children aged 10-15 who used social media looked at harmful content. This included information about misogyny, violence, eating disorders, and suicide. He advised children to do different things instead, like starting a new sport or learning to play a musical instrument. His message to children was: "Spend quality time with your friends and your family, face to face." Many children said they would now be lonelier without social media. Two 15-year-olds are suing Australia's government. They say their "right to free communication" has been taken away.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Social Media - Level 0,  Social Media - Level 1   or  Social Media - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-09/remote-kids-social-ban-isolation/106114026
  • https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/australia-social-media-ban-set-take-effect-sparking-global-crackdown-2025-12-09/
  • https://fortune.com/2025/12/09/australia-will-start-banning-kids-from-social-media-this-week-and-malaysia-is-getting-ready-to-do-the-same/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. SOCIAL MEDIA: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about social media. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       change / social media / the under-16s / new laws / responsibility / fines / age / scan /
       harming young minds / misogyny / violence / eating disorders / sport / instrument
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. NO AGE LIMIT: Students A strongly believe anyone should be allowed to use social media – even small children; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. SOCIAL MEDIA DANGERS: What do you know about these social media dangers? What experience do you have of these dangers? What can we do about them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

My Experiences

What We Can Do

Cyberbullying

 

 

 

Addiction

 

 

 

Shocking content

 

 

 

Online grooming

 

 

 

Lack of exercise

 

 

 

Body image issues

 

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. SOCIAL: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "social". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. SOCIAL MEDIA SITES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • WhatsApp
  • YouTube
  • TikTok
  • WeChat
  • Telegram
  • Reddit

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. banned a. Something (a duty) you must do or take care of.
      2. laws b. Not allowed.
      3. responsibility c. The people who lead a country.
      4. government d. Make someone pay money as a punishment.
      5. fine (verb) e. Rules made by a country.
      6. identification f. Change a document or picture into digital form.
      7. scan (verb) g. A document or paper that shows who you are.

    Paragraph 2

      8. introduced h. Bad for you.
      9. harmful i. A serious problem with eating too much or too little.
      10. misogyny j. Started something new.
      11. violence k. Dislike or unfair treatment of women.
      12. eating disorder l. When a person ends their own life.
      13. suicide m. Hurting someone in a strong or dangerous way.
      14. suing n. Taking someone to court to get money because you think they did something wrong.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. Children aged 16 in Australia cannot open a social media account.     T / F
  2. It is the social media sites' responsibility to check the age of new users.  T / F
  3. Parents of children who use social media could get a $32.9 million fine.   T / F
  4. New social media users now have to upload ID and scan their faces.     T / F
  5. The article says 70% of all children regularly look at violent videos.     T / F
  6. Australia's leader said children should play sport or play an instrument.   T / F
  7. Many children said without social media, they would feel lonelier.     T / F
  8. Two teenagers are suing Australia's government because of the ban.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. banned
  2. responsibility
  3. fine  (noun)
  4. methods
  5. check
  6. harming
  7. disorders
  8. advised
  9. suing  (to) sue
  10. communication
  1. financial penalty
  2. illnesses
  3. look at
  4. social relations
  5. duty
  6. suggested
  7. put an end to
  8. damaging
  9. taking to court
  10. techniques

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. A big change
  2. It is now the responsibility of
  3. The fines could be
  4. use different methods to
  5. New users will have to upload
  6. social media was harming young
  7. This included information
  8. eating
  9. learning to play
  10. Two 15-year-olds are
  1. as much as $32.9 million
  2. disorders
  3. identification
  4. suing Australia's government
  5. about misogyny
  6. has happened
  7. these social media sites
  8. a musical instrument
  9. check the age of their users
  10. minds

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
responsibility
access
change
scan
banned
methods
fine
laws

A big (1) ______________________________________________ has happened in the social media world. Australia has (2) ______________________________________________ children under the age of 16 from joining many social networks. New (3) ______________________________________________ say the under-16s cannot open accounts with sites like Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube. It is now the (4) ______________________________________________ of these social media sites to make sure all of their users are aged 16 or above. Australia's government said it would (5) ______________________________________________ the companies if they allowed children to (6) ______________________________________________ their sites. The fines could be as much as $32.9 million. The companies said they would use different (7) ______________________________________________ to check the age of their users. New users will have to upload identification and (8) ______________________________________________ their faces.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
lonelier
harming
right
time
eating
face
content
musical

Australia's Prime Minister said he introduced the ban because social media was (9) ______________________________________________ young minds. He said a study showed that 70 per cent of children aged 10-15 who used social media looked at harmful (10) ______________________________________________. This included information about misogyny, violence, (11) ______________________________________________ disorders, and suicide. He advised children to do different things instead, like starting a new sport or learning to play a (12) ______________________________________________ instrument. His message to children was: "Spend quality (13) ______________________________________________ with your friends and your family, face to (14) ______________________________________________." Many children said they would now be (15) ______________________________________________ without social media. Two 15-year-olds are suing Australia's government. They say their "(16) ______________________________________________ to free communication" has been taken away.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) New laws say the under-16s ______
     a.  cannot open account
     b.  cannot open accents
     c.  cannot opening accounts
     d.  cannot open accounts
2)  responsibility of these social media sites to make sure all of their users are aged ______
     a.  16 nor above
     b.  16 or above it
     c.  16 or above
     d.  16 or above that
3)  it would fine the companies if they allowed children to ______
     a.  access their sites
     b.  excess their sites
     c.  recess their sites
     d.  success their sites
4)  The companies said they would use different ______
     a.  methods to cheque
     b.  methods to check
     c.  methods to click
     d.  methods to cluck
5)  New users will have to upload identification and ______
     a.  scan there faces
     b.  scan them faces
     c.  scan they're faces
     d.  scan their faces

6)  he introduced the ban because social media was ______
     a.  harm in young mind
     b.  harm in young minds
     c.  harming young mind
     d.  harming young minds
7)  70 per cent of children aged 10-15 who used social media looked ______
     a.  at harm full content
     b.  at harmful contented
     c.  at harmful content
     d.  that harmful content
8)  He advised children to do different things instead, like starting ______
     a.  a new sport
     b.  a news port
     c.  a newt sport
     d.  anew sport
9)  Spend quality time with your friends and your family, ______
     a.  face to head
     b.  face to face
     c.  face to skull
     d.  face to toe
10)  They say their "right to free communication" has ______
     a.  been taken a way
     b.  been taken a weigh
     c.  been taken a wait
     d.  been taken away

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A big (1) __________________________________________________ in the social media world. Australia has banned children under the age of 16 from joining many social networks. New laws say the under-16s cannot (2) __________________________________________________ sites like Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube. It is now (3) __________________________________________________ these social media sites to make sure all of their users are aged 16 or above. Australia's government said it would fine the companies if they allowed children to (4) __________________________________________________. The fines could be as much as $32.9 million. The companies said they would use different methods to (5) __________________________________________________ of their users. New users will have to upload identification and (6) __________________________________________________.

Australia's Prime Minister said he (7) __________________________________________________ because social media was harming young minds. He said a study showed that 70 per cent of children aged 10-15 who used social media looked (8) __________________________________________________. This included information about misogyny, violence, eating disorders, and suicide. He (9) __________________________________________________ do different things instead, like starting a new sport or learning to (10) __________________________________________________ instrument. His message to children was: "Spend quality time with your friends and your family, face to face." Many children said they would (11) __________________________________________________ without social media. Two 15-year-olds are suing Australia's government. They say their "(12) __________________________________________________ communication" has been taken away.

Comprehension questions

  1. Where does the article say a big change has happened?
  2. Whose responsibility is it to check the age of new social media users?
  3. How much could social media sites be fined if children access their sites?
  4. What will companies use different methods to do?
  5. What will new social media users have to scan?
  6. What did Australia's Prime Minister say social media was harming?
  7. What kind of disorders were young children looking at information on?
  8. What did Australia's leader urge children to learn?
  9. How will many children feel without access to social media?
  10. Who is Australia being sued by because of the social media ban?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Where does the article say a big change has happened?
a) in cyberspace
b) all over the world
c) in the social media world
d) in the coding of websites
2) Whose responsibility is it to check the age of new social media users?
a) social media companies
b) parents
c) children
d) governments
3) How much could social media sites be fined if children access their sites?
a) up to $23.9 million
b) up to $32.9 million
c) up to $39.2 million
d) up to $92.3 million
4) What will companies use different methods to do?
a) Sell more advertising.
b) Attract more visitors.
c) Sue people.
d) Check the age of users.
5) What will new social media users have to scan?
a) a receipt
b) their computers
c) their faces
d) their surroundings

6) What did Australia's Prime Minister say social media was harming?
a) society
b) young minds
c) the Internet
d) people's health
7) What kind of disorders were young children looking at information on?
a) bipolar disorders
b) personality disorders
c) learning disorders
d) eating disorders
8) What did Australia's leader urge children to learn?
a) coding
b) a musical instrument
c) English
d) a lesson
9) How will many children feel without access to social media?
a) good
b) lonelier
c) healthier
d) free
10) Who is Australia being sued by because of the social media ban?
a) two 15-year-olds
b) social media sites
c) parents
d) teachers

Role play

Role  A – Facebook
You think Facebook is the best social media site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): TikTok, YouTube or X.

Role  B – TikTok
You think TikTok is the best social media site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): Facebook, YouTube or X.

Role  C – YouTube
You think YouTube is the best social media site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): TikTok, Facebook or X.

Role  D – X
You think X is the best social media site. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sites. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): TikTok, YouTube or Facebook.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'teenager'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'ban'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • big
    • open
    • make sure
    • fine
    • methods
    • upload
    • young
    • information
    • things
    • message
    • two
    • right

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Social Media

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'social media'?
    3. What do you think of social media?
    4. Should children be allowed to go on social media?
    5. Have you had any bad experiences on social media?
    6. Social media CEOs do not allow their children on social media. Why not?
    7. What are the best social media sites?
    8. What do you think of pre-social media communication?
    9. How well will social media companies make sure the ban works?
    10. Should children socialize in person rather than via their phone?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'ban'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What harm might social media do to a 10-year-old?
    5. How can sites reduce levels of misogyny on social media?
    6. What do you think of non-stop photos of 'perfect bodies' online?
    7. How do we get children to spend quality face-to-face time with people?
    8. Is social media good to fight loneliness?
    9. Should children have the 'right to free communication'?
    10. What questions would you like to ask social media CEOs?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    A big change has (1) ____ in the social media world. Australia has banned children under the (2) ____ of 16 from joining many social networks. New laws say the under-16s cannot open accounts with sites like Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube. It is now the (3) ____ of these social media sites to (4) ____ sure all of their users are aged 16 or above. Australia's government said it would (5) ____ the companies if they allowed children to access their sites. The fines could be as much as $32.9 million. The companies said they would use (6) ____ methods to check the age of their users. New users will have to upload identification and scan their faces.

    Australia's Prime Minister said he introduced the ban because social media was (7) ____ young minds. He said a study showed that 70 per cent of children aged 10-15 who used social media looked at harmful content. This included information about misogyny, violence, (8) ____ disorders, and suicide. He advised children (9) ____ do different things instead, like starting a new sport or learning to play a musical instrument. His message to children was: "Spend quality time with your friends and your family, face (10) ____ face." Many children said they would now be (11) ____ without social media. Two 15-year-olds are suing Australia's government. They say their "right to free communication" has been taken (12) ____.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     happening     (b)     happened     (c)     happen     (d)     happens    
    2. (a)     old     (b)     age     (c)     years     (d)     year    
    3. (a)     responsive     (b)     response     (c)     responsible     (d)     responsibility    
    4. (a)     take     (b)     make     (c)     do     (d)     give    
    5. (a)     five     (b)     file     (c)     fire     (d)     fine    
    6. (a)     difference     (b)     differential     (c)     different     (d)     differently    
    7. (a)     harming     (b)     harmful     (c)     harm     (d)     harms    
    8. (a)     ate     (b)     eaten     (c)     eating     (d)     eats    
    9. (a)     by     (b)     at     (c)     of     (d)     to    
    10. (a)     to     (b)     at     (c)     by     (d)     of    
    11. (a)     lonelier     (b)     loneliness     (c)     loner     (d)     lone    
    12. (a)     away     (b)     up     (c)     in     (d)     on

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. the under-16s cannot open atscncou
    2. It is now the nrbssptiiiloey of these
    3. Australia's menveongtr
    4. allowed children to csecas their sites
    5. they would use different dmstheo to check
    6. New users will have to upload niotianfeciidt

    Paragraph 2

    1. he cuddteiron the ban
    2. This icdduenl information
    3. eating issdordre
    4. learning to play a musical iusntentmr
    5. Spend auiyltq time with your friends
    6. their right to free nucacionmmtoi

    Put the text back together

    (  1  )   A big change has happened in the social media world. Australia has banned children under
    (    )   accounts with sites like Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube. It is now the responsibility
    (    )   age of their users. New users will have to upload identification and scan their faces.
    (    )   and suicide. He advised children to do different things instead, like starting a new sport or learning to play a musical
    (    )   as $32.9 million. The companies said they would use different methods to check the
    (    )   at harmful content. This included information about misogyny, violence, eating disorders,
    (    )   Australia's government. They say their "right to free communication" has been taken away.
    (    )   Australia's Prime Minister said he introduced the ban because social media was harming young
    (    )   instrument. His message to children was: "Spend quality time with your friends and your family, face
    (    )   minds. He said a study showed that 70 per cent of children aged 10-15 who used social media looked
    (    )   of these social media sites to make sure all of their users are aged 16 or above. Australia's government
    (    )   said it would fine the companies if they allowed children to access their sites. The fines could be as much
    (    )   the age of 16 from joining many social networks. New laws say the under-16s cannot open
    (    )   to face." Many children said they would now be lonelier without social media. Two 15-year-olds are suing

    Put the words in the right order

    1. big   A   has   change   in   happened   media   social   .
    2. It   children   banned   the   under   of   age   16   .
    3. 16s   Under-   open   cannot   with   accounts   like   sites   Facebook   .
    4. the   It's   of   responsibility   social   these   sites   media   .
    5. They'd   different   use   to   methods   the   check   ages   .
    6. Prime   Australia's   said   Minister   introduced   he   ban   the   .
    7. The   aged   children   15-10   used   who   media   social   .
    8. This  information  included   misogyny  about   eating  and   disorders  .
    9. children   Many   they   said   now   would   lonelier   be   .
    10. Their   to   right   communication   free   been   has   removed   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    A big challenge / change has happened in the social media world. Australia has banned children under the age / ages of 16 from joining many social networks. New laws say the under-16s cannot open / opening accounts with sites like / likes Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube. It is now the responsibility / responsible of these social media sites to make sure all of them / their users are aged 16 or above. Australia's government said it would sure / fine the companies if they allowed children to access their sites. The fines could be as much / many as $32.9 million. The companies said they would use different methods / method to check the age of their users. New users will have / must to upload identification and scan their faces.

    Australia's Prime Minister said he introduced the ban because / that social media was harming young minds / mind. He said a study showed that 70 per cent of children aged 10-15 who used social media looked at / in harmful content. This included information about misogyny, violent / violence, eating disorders, and suicide. He advised children to do difference / different things instead, like starting a new sport or learning for / to play a musical instrument. His message to children was: "Spend qualify / quality time with your friends and your family, face / eyes to face." Many children said they would now be lonelier without social media. Two 15-year-olds are using / suing Australia's government. They say their "right to free communication" has / have been taken away.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    _  b_g  ch_ng_  h_s  h_pp_n_d  _n  th_  s_c__l  m_d__  w_rld.  __str_l__  h_s  b_nn_d  ch_ldr_n  _nd_r  th_  _g_  _f  16  fr_m  j__n_ng  m_ny  s_c__l  n_tw_rks.  N_w  l_ws  s_y  th_  _nd_r-16s  c_nn_t  _p_n  _cc__nts  w_th  s_t_s  l_k_  F_c_b__k,  _nst_gr_m,  R_dd_t,  Sn_pch_t,  Thr__ds,  T_kT_k,  X,  _nd  Y__T_b_.  _t  _s  n_w  th_  r_sp_ns_b_l_ty  _f  th_s_  s_c__l  m_d__  s_t_s  t_  m_k_  s_r_  _ll  _f  th__r  _s_rs  _r_  _g_d  16  _r  _b_v_.  __str_l__'s  g_v_rnm_nt  s__d  _t  w__ld  f_n_  th_  c_mp_n__s  _f  th_y  _ll_w_d  ch_ldr_n  t_  _cc_ss  th__r  s_t_s.  Th_  f_n_s  c__ld  b_  _s  m_ch  _s  $32.9  m_ll__n.  Th_  c_mp_n__s  s__d  th_y  w__ld  _s_  d_ff_r_nt  m_th_ds  t_  ch_ck  th_  _g_  _f  th__r  _s_rs.  N_w  _s_rs  w_ll  h_v_  t_  _pl__d  _d_nt_f_c_t__n  _nd  sc_n  th__r  f_c_s.

    __str_l__'s  Pr_m_  M_n_st_r  s__d  h_  _ntr_d_c_d  th_  b_n  b_c__s_  s_c__l  m_d__  w_s  h_rm_ng  y__ng  m_nds.  H_  s__d  _  st_dy  sh_w_d  th_t  70  p_r  c_nt  _f  ch_ldr_n  _g_d  10-15  wh_  _s_d  s_c__l  m_d__  l__k_d  _t  h_rmf_l  c_nt_nt.  Th_s  _ncl_d_d  _nf_rm_t__n  _b__t  m_s_gyny,  v__l_nc_,  __t_ng  d_s_rd_rs,  _nd  s__c_d_.  H_  _dv_s_d  ch_ldr_n  t_  d_  d_ff_r_nt  th_ngs  _nst__d,  l_k_  st_rt_ng  _  n_w  sp_rt  _r  l__rn_ng  t_  pl_y  _  m_s_c_l  _nstr_m_nt.  H_s  m_ss_g_  t_  ch_ldr_n  w_s:  "Sp_nd  q__l_ty  t_m_  w_th  y__r  fr__nds  _nd  y__r  f_m_ly,  f_c_  t_  f_c_."  M_ny  ch_ldr_n  s__d  th_y  w__ld  n_w  b_  l_n_l__r  w_th__t  s_c__l  m_d__.  Tw_  15-y__r-_lds  _r_  s__ng  __str_l__'s  g_v_rnm_nt.  Th_y  s_y  th__r  "r_ght  t_  fr__  c_mm_n_c_t__n"  h_s  b__n  t_k_n  _w_y.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    a big change has happened in the social media world australia has banned children under the age of 16 from joining many social networks new laws say the under16s cannot open accounts with sites like facebook instagram reddit snapchat threads tiktok x and youtube it is now the responsibility of these social media sites to make sure all of their users are aged 16 or above australias government said it would fine the companies if they allowed children to access their sites the fines could be as much as 329 million the companies said they would use different methods to check the age of their users new users will have to upload identification and scan their faces

    australias prime minister said he introduced the ban because social media was harming young minds he said a study showed that 70 per cent of children aged 1015 who used social media looked at harmful content this included information about misogyny violence eating disorders and suicide he advised children to do different things instead like starting a new sport or learning to play a musical instrument his message to children was spend quality time with your friends and your family face to face many children said they would now be lonelier without social media two 15yearolds are suing australias government they say their right to free communication has been taken away

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Abigchangehashappenedinthesocialmediaworld.Australiahasbanne
    dchildrenundertheageof16fromjoiningmanysocialnetworks.Newlaw
    ssaytheunder-16scannotopenaccountswithsiteslikeFacebook,Insta
    gram,Reddit,Snapchat,Threads,TikTok,X,andYouTube.Itisnowther
    esponsibilityofthesesocialmediasitestomakesurealloftheirusersarea
    ged16orabove.Australia'sgovernmentsaiditwouldfinethecompanies
    iftheyallowedchildrentoaccesstheirsites.Thefinescouldbeasmuchas
    $32.9million.Thecompaniessaidtheywouldusedifferentmethodstoc
    hecktheageoftheirusers.Newuserswillhavetouploadidentificationan
    dscantheirfaces.Australia'sPrimeMinistersaidheintroducedthebanb
    ecausesocialmediawasharmingyoungminds.Hesaidastudyshowedt
    hat70percentofchildrenaged10-15whousedsocialmedialookedathar
    mfulcontent.Thisincludedinformationaboutmisogyny,violence,eatin
    gdisorders,andsuicide.Headvisedchildrentododifferentthingsinstea
    d,likestartinganewsportorlearningtoplayamusicalinstrument.Hisme
    ssagetochildrenwas:"Spendqualitytimewithyourfriendsandyourfam
    ily,facetoface."Manychildrensaidtheywouldnowbelonelierwithoutso
    cialmedia.Two15-year-oldsaresuingAustralia'sgovernment.Theysa
    ytheir"righttofreecommunication"hasbeentakenaway.

    Free writing

    Write about social media ban for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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    Academic writing

    No one under 16 should be allowed on social media. Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. SOCIAL MEDIA: Make a poster about social media. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. TEEN BAN: Write a magazine article about banning social media for all teens. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on social media bans. Ask him/her three questions about social media them. Give him/her three of your opinions on social media. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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