The advent of the information superhighway, the internet, brought with it much hope with all that you need literally at your fingertips. The internet, with all its upgrades, has certainly made life easier and in some cases a bit more fun.
However, we have moved into more worrisome times. Now the concern is centred around how much the web and its artificial intelligence component will adversely affect the young population and those to come.
With the likes of ChatGPT and even more advanced AI platforms, the time that is needed to conceptualize and produce one’s essay, or letter, or editorial for that matter, is cut literally by approximately 90%. Surely an appealing prospect to ease the burden of the numerous tasks before you. But that is not where the concern stems from.
Picture the possibility that our young people, even before they are out of high school, are latched onto these, some say addictive, platforms and utilize them for all that they are capable of assisting with. The argument is that they leapfrog a very vital part of development, the ability to think critically, the ability to rationalize properly and the ability to adequately formulate ideas.
There will always be a counter agreement.
Some believe these AI platforms assist with individual development in super time which could hardly be achieved in the classroom and that it employs new and improved styles of learning.
While a ban has not yet been enacted as far as AI is concerned, Australia is probably the first country to move in that direction, somewhat.
The country has installed strict new laws effective December 10, 2025, banning children under 16 from major social media platforms, with potential for AI companion restrictions by March 2026. Additionally, new regulations block AI from mining Australian creative works without consent. Big names like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook now restrict access to users under 16 with AI-based age verification allowed for compliance.
The eSafety regulator plans to also introduce restrictions on AI companions and chatbots in March 2026 due to safety concerns.
While the social media restrictions face serious legal challenges, regulators are seriously and actively enforcing them in the name of protecting minors, with further restrictions on AI tools expected soon. A number of European countries have also joined to bandwagon to restrict the unfettered use of these social environments.
St. Lucia’s newly installed Minister of Education Kenson Casimir was questioned recently in relation to young people locally, utilizing social media platforms to display an array of unsavoury behaviour. While the Minister revealed that his ministry, and by extension the government, was not averse to attempting to arrest this ill, he was adamant that the larger burden rests on the shoulders of parents and how well they police how their children utilize electronic devices.
It is clear that there is a major problem or that a huge potential catastrophe is on the horizon.
If we choose to deal with it in a timely manner or how we decide to handle it will ultimately speak to how St. Lucia usher in the next generation.
The fact of the matter is that this is a global issue and we now have international examples to springboard our response.