In most countries across the world, young people under the age of 18 do not have the right to vote. This means that they have no legitimate political representation, and are not respected as a legitimate constituent of the politicians who are supposed to be representing them. This has historically led to the concerns of…
Japan has a unique regulation that requires all smartphones and digital cameras sold in the country to make an audible shutter sound when taking a photo, even if the device is set to silent mode. This rule, established through an industry agreement between Japanese phone carriers and manufacturers rather than a formal statute, was introduced…
The UK has recently taken a harsh stance against teenagers being able to use social media, with the announcement that minors under 16 will be completely banned from using social media. The UK plans to ban social media platforms from offering services to children under 16, with the first regulations expected before the end of…
In different parts of the world, there is a growing attempt to solve education problems with simplistic and authoritarian measures. Among them, the prohibition of cell phone use in schools has been presented as a magic solution to inattention, low performance, and indiscipline. But this narrative ignores a fundamental truth: taking away rights does not…
Guess how many countries have signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child? 195. Now guess which two countries have not ratified the convention? You might guess a low-income developing country, and you would be correct. Somalia has not ratified the convention. However, the “leader of the free world,” just…
Several European nations are considering lowering their voting age to 16. A bill to reduce the voting age from 18 to 16 in local elections is advancing in the Estonian parliament, while Ireland’s Fianna Fáil party is calling for a voting age reduction in local elections by 2019. Meanwhile, scholars at the UK’s University of…
