Vine Earth Seer - For the Love of Gaia (@vinepsychic.bsky.social)

I’m 15 years old and have a disability. Social media has been a lifeline – why is the government kicking me off? | Ezra Sholl As I come to terms with life as a quadriplegic, Instagram and TikTok are a reminder that I’m not alone The government has decided that from Wednesday I should be banned from social media because of the potential harm it can cause. But as a teenager with a severe disability, who relies on social media for connection, community and access to a largely inaccessible world, this policy actually has the potential to create further harm. When I was 12, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which triggered a rare nerve condition that has paralysed me. My preteen years were spent in an ICU ward, on a ventilator, going through chemotherapy. Before I got sick I did not have any social media. It turned out that all I had to do was end up in a coma, because when I woke, I had a new iPhone14, with every accessibility feature. Having Instagram and Snapchat made me feel less disconnected. I had a window into the outside world, and my friends had a window into my world between hospital visits. Continue reading... https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/07/im-15-years-old-and-have-a-disability-social-media-has-been-a-lifeline-why-is-the-government-kicking-me-off?CMP=aus_bsky