Young trans people in Australia have much higher rates of suicide, mental health struggles and anxiety disorders – but many find refuge in social media.
The new proposal is aligned with approaches in the European Union and United Kingdom – and overcomes the flaws of banning people under 16 from social media.
Australia is set to ban kids under 16 from social media. Depending on the definition, online games with social features could be in the firing line – which would be detrimental.
The Albanese government has announced a plan to ban kids under 16 from social media. There’s no explanation why this age was chosen, and the decision flies in the face of expert advice.
Children under 14 would be banned from social media, while teens aged 14–15 would need parental consent. But this law will be challenging to implement.
New Zealand is among many countries debating a ban on under-16s having social media accounts. But making digital media literacy education a priority would be a better first step.
Regulating how kids access the internet – including social media – must balance protection from harm with children’s rights to expression and information.
Peter Malinauskas joined the podcast to talk about AUKUS, bans on children under 14 accessing social media, restricting most political donations and Peter Duttons Nuclear announcement.
There are various methods for estimating or verifying an online user’s age, none of them foolproof. Importantly, is this the social media future we want?