Prime Minister vows to ban kids from social media

The Federal Government has launched a national crackdown on social media, announcing plans to ban children from accessing the digital platforms.
 
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed proposed new laws will be introduced into Parliament by the end of the year, enforcing the age restrictions.
 
However, the exact age limit is yet to be determined, but the Federal Government says it will be between 13 and 16 years old, depending on an upcoming $6.5 million age assurance trial.
 
Mr Albanese said the proposal aims to support parents and keeping children safe ‘because enough is enough’.
 
‘Social media is causing social harm, and it is taking kids away from real friends and real experiences,’ he said.
 
‘Australian young people deserve better, and I stand with them and with all Australian parents in protecting our kids.
 
‘The safety and mental and physical health of our young people is paramount.’
 
The Prime Minister’s commitment follows similar moves from the South Australian and Victorian Government in recent days, with both jurisdictions pledging to rollout the age bans at a state level.
 
The plan was also welcomed by GPs, who said there is a ‘definite correlation’ between exposure to social media and mental distress.
 
The Federal Government’s final legislation will also draw on an investigation done by former High Court Chief Justice Robert French, who is conducting a legal examination of how the SA Government’s plan would be carried out and enforced.
 
Mr Albanese said the plan would put the responsibility back on the social media companies.
 
‘Social media companies have a social responsibility, and we are seeing the mental health issues are rising from young people,’ he told Sunrise.
 
‘What we need to do is this age verification trial, which is underway, is funded, and we want to make sure that we get this right, but we know that parents want us to act.’
 
However, headspace chief executive Jason Trethowan said it is important governments consult meaningfully with young people about their experiences of social media, and that their views shape the legislation.
 
‘Social media provides young people with opportunities for connection and to have their voices heard, especially young people who belong to marginalised communities or who live in remote places,’ he said.
 
‘Banning access to social media is a blunt instrument that may have unintended consequences if done before considering these benefits.
 
‘Any ban would also require additional supports for young people and families to navigate such a significant change in the way they communicate.’
 
The announcement came on the same day as new data from Australia’s largest survey of young people laid bare the negative impacts social media is having on the life satisfaction of high school students.
 
The Australian National University’s 10-year GENERATION study found 98% of young people regularly use at least one social media platform and 27% use four different platforms.
 
‘While we know that young people face many challenges that could impact their life satisfaction, we found that the use of many of the mainstream social media platforms was associated with poorer life satisfaction,’ said lead researcher Professor Ben Edwards.
 
Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok were the most popular platforms, and TikTok, Reddit, and Twitch users who identified as male or female had lower life satisfaction than those who did not use them.
 
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