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Home > Words & Numbers > Episode 478: No Socials for Sheila


	Podcast:		Words & Numbers
	Episode:		Episode 478: No Socials for Sheila
	Category:		Education
	Duration:		00:52:00
	Publish Date:		2025-12-04 12:00:00
	Description:		In this episode, we examine why arts education often maintains higher standards even as liberal arts programs shrink in schools and universities, and what students lose when curriculum narrows to job training. We discuss how platforms like X are adding country-of-origin labels to identify foreign influence and bot activity, and highlight the “foolishness of the week” involving the controversy over the “world’s strongest woman” and the broader questions it raises about biology and competitive fairness. We turn to Australia’s proposal to ban social media for kids under sixteen, exploring the practical limits of age verification, the tension between parental authority and government regulation, and why teens remain vulnerable to algorithmic manipulation. We close by considering where society should draw age boundaries, how platforms shape behavior, and what genuine responsibility looks like in the digital age. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:29 The State of Arts Education Today 02:57 Why Liberal Arts Are Disappearing From Schools 05:45 What a Liberal Arts Education Actually Provides 06:59 X Adds Country-of-Origin Labels 09:56 Foolishness of the Week: “World’s Strongest Woman” 11:31 Biology, Fairness, and Competition in Sports 17:51 Age Rules and Arbitrary Lines 20:53 Australia’s Proposed Social Media Ban for Under-16s 23:21 Why Age Verification Won’t Work in Practice 26:08 Should the Government Regulate Children’s Social Media Use? 27:32 Algorithmic Bubbles and Teen Vulnerability 33:45 96% of Australian Children Ages 10-15 Use Social Media 34:55 Where to Draw the Line: 13, 16, or 18? 39:34 Parental Responsibility vs. Government Control 46:34 Closing Thoughts on Freedom, Parenting, and Policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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