It is less than six months before Australia’s social media age restrictions kick in. But while the onus is on social media platforms to prevent underage access, child protection experts say the conversation about online safety doesn’t stop there.
UniSA’s Associate Professor Lesley-Anne Ey says parents and schools must continue online safety conversations, so children can navigate the digital world safely and responsibly – no matter what their age.
“From the moment children start using devices, parents need to be having age-appropriate conversations about the content they access and how they interact and behave online.”
“Because children’s brains are still developing, they often act on impulse without considering consequences. They’re naturally more inclined to take risks and assume they’re safe – but the reality is they’re not, and they need strategies to protect themselves.”
says Associate Professor Ey.
On 10 December, Australia’s new social media laws will take effect, with social media platforms – including TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube – required to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent children under 16 from having an account on their platform.
The legislation intends to protect young people from being exposed to social media content that could be damaging to their health and wellbeing at too young an age. While legislation is one part of the solution, Assoc Prof Ey says the real impact lies in building digital literacy across all platforms.
Because in the end, it’s not just about keeping children off social media – it’s about giving them the knowledge, confidence and skills to thrive safely in a digital world that will only keep growing.