25 July 2024
Children using social media has been in the news again. A correlation between rising depression and anxiety in young people and their social media use has led Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to say he would ban social media for under 16s within 100 days if the Coalition wins the next election.
Education Minister Jason Clare has called social media a ‘cesspit’ and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicated he might consider a ban for young people.
But is social media entirely to blame? For sure, it has changed the way society works and how we interact with each other. It allows children and young people contact with a wide-open world and it can be difficult to monitor or regulate what they encounter there, and to keep them safe. The constant pinging of notifications is also a distraction and can trigger stress.
But in an increasingly indoors society, social media may also offer young people connection, support and a sense of belonging outside of their own family. Other factors could also be linked to young people’s worsening mental health – including increasing violence, the rising cost of living and the climate crisis.
Most social media apps are age-restricted already, usually to age 13 or above. But some social media sites have been developed for under 13s keen to connect and share with friends and influencers.
Much younger children also engage with mobile devices for both playing and learning, which can support their fine motor and verbal progress as well as their digital skills.
The Federal Government’s eSafety site has advice and support for kids and young people to navigate the online world safely. Its own Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has pushed back against Dutton’s calls for an under-16s ban, comparing it to “banning kids from the water rather than teaching them to swim” and arguing that protective safeguards teach young people “important lessons” from a young age that will help them navigate the online world when they are older.
The debate continues as dynamically as the online world whirls around children and young people. What do you think? Is 13 too young to navigate social media safely? What age do you think is appropriate?