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ABC News
7 days ago
- Science
- ABC News
Should Books Have Age Classifications?
MICHELLE WAKIM, BTN REPORTER: We classify films and we classify video games, but should we have an age classification system for books? VOX: I definitely agree with that. I know my little sister, she was reading some books that she shouldn't have been. VOX: Hard ratings like 'you can't read this until you're 'X' age,' I think that that's limiting the, people being able to share ideas with each other. VOX: Each book is different. The way it's written is different. So the way the themes presented are different as well. So I think it would be…it's a bit nuanced. It's a bit hard to make a definitive classification. VOX: We have the young adult section, things like that, that's a great example that I think works well. VOX: It's sometimes people are reading books that they probably shouldn't be reading just for like their health and wellbeing. DR. EMMA HUSSEY, AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY: It's really important not to sanitise what we're going to be reading, it's just about increasing that awareness so that we can all be emotionally safe. With the rise of book talk Booktube and Bookstagram, some experts like Doctor Emma Hussey from the Australian Catholic University are calling for an industry wide book rating classification system. Doctor Hussey's research looked at 20 books that are popular on BookTok, analysing them for domestic violence behaviours, other violence, including torture, murder and destruction of property, and sexually explicit scenes. DR. EMMA HUSSEY: Of those books, 65% of them had these domestic violence adjacent behaviours on the page, so it really is about don't judge a book by its cover. There are cartoons on the front, doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to be developmentally appropriate for a 12 to 17 year old. UPSOT: We are different nonetheless Doctor Hussey says part of the problem is the algorithm on these platforms is often based off popularity rather than reader safety, so it sometimes pushes adult fiction recommendations to young adult or YA readers. Young adult fiction is a category of its own in publishing. It's generally aimed at readers between the ages of 12 and 18, and focuses on the stuff many teenagers are going through, like themes around identity, self discovery, relationships, and the transition into adulthood. YA also has subcategories within it with lower young adult from 12 to 14 years old, which might include texts like the early Harry Potter books and upper Young Adult, which includes books like Wicked and the Fault in our Stars. DR. EMMA HUSSEY: I know that there's a system that authors use to know whether their books are marketed to a younger young adult audience or an older young adult audience that's not made explicit or clear in bookstores or libraries. In bookstores, do you find it easy to, like, differentiate between young adult fiction and adult fiction? VOX: I do, but I'm like in there all the time. TRACY GLOVER, DILLONS BOOKSHOP: Okay. So our YA collection is independent of hte rest of our collection, so it's standalone. I paid a visit to a bookstore in Adelaide to chat with Tracy, who's worked in the area of children and young adult literature for decades. TRACY GLOVER: We have a couple of elements. I think within the bookshop we have a fairly clear boundary just by geographically where the books are. So I think that there's a fairly clear delineation there about where our young adult sits against, where our adults sit. Tracy says she has noticed a shift in the reading habits of young people since the rise of social media. TRACY GLOVER: And the local students from the local schools, often when they come in, they come in with a specific request. So it might be something they've talked about or someone's mentioned. It might be something that's very current on Netflix or TikTok. She also says that this bookshop, like many, has age recommendations on a lot of their YA fiction. These are based off staff discretion and databases such as common-sense media, which are designed with young people's reading and safety in mind. TRACY GLOVER: It's very rare that we have to say to a reader "we're just not sure that that's going to be suitable for your age level." But if we felt strongly enough, we would just give that warning. The 12 to 14 year olds, we're very mindful with what they choose and what we would recommend for them. Once they hit about 15, then it is their decision. They're probably doing, you know, exposed to a lot of those things already, if not in literature in often, sadly, what they're watching. DR EMMA HUSSEY: We don't actually have to look too far to see that we have implemented these sorts of classification systems across streaming websites across movies that you purchase in store. So it's not a new system. It's just about bringing that to this new medium that we've not previously considered before. If there is classification similar to movies, do you see that as being a restriction on sale or borrowing? DR EMMA HUSSEY: What I want to acknowledge is that for me, this is not about banning. VOX: If it was enforced the same way that MA 15 plus is or something like that I'm not sure how great of an idea that would be. VOX: Movies is a bit different cause it's very because obviously you're watching it play out, reading it's your imagination and you can just close the book if it's too much for you. WILL KOSTAKIS, AUTHOR: I'm against this classification system because it's slapping the classification system of games and movies onto a different medium. This is Will Kostakis, a young adult fiction author. WILL KOSTAKIS, AUTHOR: The thing about books is you can actually go into the emotions of an action. You have a character's thoughts throughout, right? You would have the character reckoning with consequences afterwards. Thinking about it living in it. Will says the way we experience books is very different to other forms of media and he's more concerned a classification system would lead to wider censorship. WILL KOSTAKIS, AUTHOR: So who would choose? Would it be parents? Would it be politicians? Would it be booksellers? Would it be, you know, publishers? The thing is, publishers and booksellers already choose and engaged parents already choose. They are talking to their kids, so we already have rules in place to protect kids, but that can be exploited and so when we talk about classifications, I'm always worried about not just the next step, but the step 4 points down the road where it's like how can this be exploited? A lot of the authors that I've been talking to in librarians, the big thing they worry about is censorship. VOX: I think it stretches, yeah, to a level of potential censorship. Whether it be unintentional or not. With films you have to pay to get it tested and see whether or not it's appropriate or not. So I think for like young independent authors that might stop them from being able to publish their books, which I don't think that's a great thing either. VOX: When you classify anything into different ages, you are almost saying that some things are inherently inappropriate for kids, which I don't agree is true. Could this lead to censorship in a way? DR EMMA HUSSEY: So I think what's really important to understand is that censorship is about the denial of access, the stopping of access. This does not push or advocate for or the removal of access to content. It's more about giving respect to young adult readers, flagging content that may not be developmentally appropriate for them at that stage, or they may not be ready for. But is the content in books causing that much harm that we need a new system of classification? DR EMMA HUSSEY: I think it's more about making sure that your young adult readers know what's in that book before they pick it up, and whether it's something that they feel ready to explore. TRACY GLOVER: I think it would be very difficult. I think it's more about educating the reader. Let's expect more of our readers here. I grew up in the era of twilight, all the teen girls in my life weren't like "wow, I can't wait for a 108 year old who's posing as a teenager to sweep me off my feet." They are getting the feels and all of the tropes and being like "cool. This is a bit romantic. This is a bit spicy," but I don't think they're looking at these books as manuals on how to live their romantic lives. VOX: I think, also parents need to play a role in that and like, okay, what are my kids actually reading? VOX: When I was like 15 16 there wasn't any books, that I felt like the content would be super like different from what you just experienced in like your daily life. You're becoming an adult, so you should be exposed to like everything.
The Sun
10-07-2025
- The Sun
My little sister moved in with us after losing her job – what I caught her doing in my kitchen made my stomach drop
A WOMAN ran to Tiktok begging for help after discovering her husband had cheating on her with her little sister. After finding out her little sister had gone through a difficult break-up and lost her job, she let her come and stay with her and her husband, trusting her sister completely. 2 But that trust was shattered after she walked into the kitchen one afternoon and saw something that left her sick to her stomach. Sharing her story with TikToker @ the woman revealed she had no second thoughts about letting her little sister stay with her and her husband until she got back on her feet. At first, things were great. They all got along, and the house felt harmonious. But a few months in, something shifted. Her husband suddenly started coming home for lunch more often, sometimes even working from home with no warning. Meanwhile, her sister began wearing makeup around the house and lounging in skimpy crop tops. When questioned, she claimed it was about rebuilding her self-esteem after her breakup. 'I really trusted them,' the woman said. 'So I just brushed it off.' That trust, however, was about to shatter. I found out my boyfriend was cheating on me through our Ring doorbell One day, she came home from work earlier than expected and what she walked into stopped her in her tracks. She heard laughter in the kitchen. Quiet, intimate laughter. When she crept closer, she saw her sister sitting on the kitchen counter, legs swinging casually and her husband standing between them, spoon-feeding her something. She knew it was 'nothing technically inappropriate" but said the way they were looking at each other made her stomach drop. When she confronted them, her sister leapt off the counter like she'd been caught red-handed. Her husband mumbled something about trying out a new recipe. But the vibes were off and she knew it. Later that night, determined to uncover the truth, she scoured everything - joint bank statements, receipts, even home security footage. And that's when she found it. A 17-second clip from their hallway camera, dated the same weekend she'd been away on a work retreat. In the video, her sister steps out of the guest room wearing nothing but a bathrobe. Seconds later, her husband emerges shirtless, in just his boxers. Then, he leans in and kisses her. She couldn't breath claiming her "hands were shaking". It's been over a week since she saw the footage but hasn't confronted them yet. She says she wants to make sure her sister and husband pay for what they did. The TikTok has gone viral, racking up thousands of comments from viewers urging her to get revenge smartly. One wrote: 'Run this by a solicitor first, move all your joint funds, then play that video at a family gathering. Make them feel what you felt.' Another added: 'Change the locks, pack their things, and donate it all to charity. Then move on like the queen you are.' As for the woman, she's lying low but not backing down. Four red flags your partner is cheating Private Investigator Aaron Bond from BondRees revealed four warning signs your partner might be cheating. They start to take their phone everywhere with them In close relationships, it's normal to know each other's passwords and use each other's phones, if their phone habits change then they may be hiding something. Aaron says: "If your partner starts changing their passwords, starts taking their phone everywhere with them, even around the house or they become defensive when you ask to use their phone it could be a sign of them not being faithful." "You should also look at how they place their phone down when not in use. If they face the phone with the screen facing down, then they could be hiding something." They start telling you less about their day When partners cheat they can start to avoid you, this could be down to them feeling guilty or because it makes it easier for them to lie to you. "If you feel like your partner has suddenly begun to avoid you and they don't want to do things with you any more or they stop telling you about their day then this is another red flag." "Partners often avoid their spouses or tell them less about their day because cheating can be tough, remembering all of your lies is impossible and it's an easy way to get caught out," says Aaron. Their libido changes Your partner's libido can change for a range of reasons so it may not be a sure sign of cheating but it can be a red flag according to Aaron. Aaron says: "Cheaters often have less sex at home because they are cheating, but on occasions, they may also have more sex at home, this is because they feel guilty and use this increase in sex to hide their cheating. You may also find that your partner will start to introduce new things into your sex life that weren't there before." They become negative towards you Cheaters know that cheating is wrong and to them, it will feel good, this can cause tension and anxiety within themselves which they will need to justify. "To get rid of the tension they feel inside they will try to convince themselves that you are the problem and they will become critical of you out of nowhere. Maybe you haven't walked the dog that day, put the dishes away or read a book to your children before bedtime. A small problem like this can now feel like a big deal and if you experience this your partner could be cheating," warns Aaron.
