Hollywood A-lister Chris Pratt on Australia’s social media ban and why he has a ‘no-screens’ family
The actor warns social media companies are mining children's attention "like veins of gold" as he endorses Australia's groundbreaking teen ban.
Hollywood A-lister Chris Pratt has thrown his support behind Australia’s trailblazing ban on social media for teens under the age of 16.
Ahead of the new regulations blocking access to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, Kick, and Threads, which kick in on December 10, the star of the multibillion-dollar Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World franchises said “I think it’s a smart move, definitely.”
“I hope you’re not the last,” Pratt said of Australia becoming the first country to introduce the new rules. “I’m always a little bit resistant to imposing things upon anybody. But when it comes to kids, I think it’s important to protect them. And so as much as I believe in liberty, I also believe that protecting kids from social media is really, really important.”
Pratt, who has a 13-year-old son with first wife Anna Faris and three children under six with second wife Katherine Schwarzenegger, said that they are “a no screens family”.
“None of my kids are on screens,” he said. “I have a 1-year-old, a 3-year-old, a 5-year-old and a 13-year-old. My 13-year-old really wants a phone and I won’t let him have one. I’m trying to extend that period of their life where they’re not influenced by the passive algorithm driven entertainment. Data’s become the most valuable commodity in the world. Our attention is the new veins of gold and oil for the world.”
Pratt’s new sci-fi thriller Mercy, which opens on January 24, deals with the dangers of artificial intelligence in a near-future world where surveillance has reached near saturation point partly because of smart technology and the amount of personal information people willingly put online through social media.
Pratt has been a prolific user of social media over the years, particularly Instagram, where he has more than 44 million followers. While he now uses it promote his work as well as share his thoughts on topics that are important to him, including his faith, he said his relationship with the platform has “evolved”.
“Like all things, there are really great things that come from it,” Pratt said. “I’ve seen people crowd source amazing amounts of money for charities. I’m a Christian and I’ve seen the gospel of Jesus spread through social media. I’ve seen people launch their careers through social media. It’s a two-edged sword and I think the line between good and evil runs through the heart of every man and that makes social media both incredibly dangerous and incredibly powerful to do wonderful things as well. It depends on who wields it.”
