The New ‘Talk’ Should be About Social Media

Australia and Norway are about to embark on a massive experiment by setting age limits for socials. It might well prove whether social media is as corrosive for young people as believed or whether we can actually stop them from accessing it.

Users may still access social media feeds while logged out or turn to VPNs to get around the bans expeditiously.  Another consequence is young people may be cut off from important sources of information so the restrictions will impact young people’s access to news and the development of civic and political identities. 

The consensus seems to be that strategies that help children to navigate an increasingly digital world are as important as limiting access.

Associate Professor Joanne Orlando, School of Education at Uni Western Sydney, is a media commentator and policy advisor in digital wellbeing with a particular expertise on technology use by children and families.  She served as an expert advisor for the Federal Government's Age Verification Trials (2024) and contributed to NSW's ground-breaking social media policy. As a trusted advisor to global technology leaders Dr Orlando holds unprecedented influence in shaping digital safety policies.

“My research with Australian families shows that guiding children's tech use is consistently the top parenting challenge. This challenge has intensified recently with the rapidly changing digital landscape, leaving parents feeling overwhelmed. Although banning social media seems tempting, it merely places the issue on pause. Children will eventually use these platforms, still ill-equipped to handle their complexities.

“‘Social Media Literacy’ is crucial for minimising potential harm. Much like the evolution of sex education which guides children towards healthy and safe relationships, Social Media Literacy should empower children with the skills to critically understand and navigate their social media feeds.”

Dr Tanya Notley is Professor of Digital Media and Communication at Western Sydney University. She leads the Advancing Media Literacy program at the University and is co-founder and member of the Australian Media Literacy Alliance.

Dr Notley leads two longitudinal survey projects - the first examines adult media literacy and the second young people’s news literacy. She also does research in people’s homes to understand everyday media experiences.

She says, “It’s important to consider the unintended impacts of this ban - especially those that may cause harm. For example, our research shows that social media is the preferred source of news for Australian teenagers aged 13-16 years. News engagement is critical to civic engagement. We need to consider how we can support young people to share their experiences and advocate on the issues that matter to them online and in our communities. This is so important for the health and future of our democracy.

“It is important to note that students can still use many social media platforms with this new legislation - they just can’t be given their own accounts. We need to ensure all young Australians are given media literacy education in school. Only looking at a narrow set of online risks and harms does not prepare students for the complex opportunities and challenges the internet presents.

“The national curriculum body ACARA has developed a suite of new resources to support media literacy education in the classroom from Foundation to Year 10. The next step is for governments to support teachers to deliver this education to all students and to ensure this education properly prepares students for social media use.”

Kids often voice frustration that they are being told what not to do but no one educates them on what to do. Social Media Literacy addresses this. 

“Shifting from the current risk-focus approach to parent education to Social Media Literacy education for parents will address their overwhelm and build the confidence and understanding they need to raise children in our digitally complex society,” Professor Elizabeth Handsley, School of Law, Uni Western Syd says.

Professor Handsley has been involved in scholarship and advocacy on children's rights as media users for over 25 years. Her interests cover content classification, children's quotas, advertising regulation, data privacy and online safety. She hosts a podcast on children, families and screens, Outside the Screen, and she is the President of Children and Media Australia.

“It's misleading to refer to this legislation as a ban, because it only requires reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from having an account on certain platforms. All responsibility falls on the platforms, not on the young teens, and content will still be available in the logged-out state.

“While the list of inclusions and exclusions is not necessarily what we might have expected, given the aims of the legislation, the very existence of the legislation gives parents a welcome starting point for a boundary-setting conversation with their children.

“Next it will be time to ensure there are plenty of fun and engaging activities for under-16s to take the place of social media, especially in regional communities and for those for whom it might be difficult to find like-minded peers in real life.”