The Australian government ‘s commitment to imposing an age limit on social media places Australia as the first countries globally to do so. As the Albanese’ government is still in the process of determining a minimum age for accessing social media, opinions for and against this ban is highlighting this proposed legislation is certainly not linear and does not fit comfortably in a ‘problem-solution’ outcome.
The argument for this legislation primarily centres on the pervasiveness of social media creeping across all facets of children’s and teens lives, and the potential harm of algorithms targeting and exploiting points of vulnerabilities. Indeed, regulations monitoring inappropriate content is critical to safeguarding and protecting from online harms like cyberbullying and inappropriate content.
On the flip side, is taking away a pre-teen’s ability to make educated informed choices as to what they can access erode their sense of agency? What of those children who feel marginalised and depend on accessing beneficial online communities and spaces to communicate and share ideas? Children and preteens need to be equipped with skills to navigate their online worlds, hence a legislative ban is not the solution.
But exactly how will this proposed legislation will be implemented and monitored? The legislation is proposing an online verification process based on the age identity of the user. But this itself is subject to exploitation and misuse. What are the implications on privacy and data security given the breaches that have occurred in Australia? Importantly what are the long term implications of identity theft for a minor?
Pending legislation appears a band aid reactive response. There appears to be an undercurrent of blame focused on pre-teens online behaviours and inadequate/ poor parental supervision. Social media is an inherent part every day aspect of this generation’s lives. By banning social media platforms till a certain age will not deter this cohort from finding ways to overcome technological restrictions. A troubling outcome is driving social media activity underground to less desirable online spaces that may pose even more potential harm.
Let’s redirect the focus on an approach that embraces education where teachers support and promote individual agency for our children and preteens , pass legislation to regulate social media platform content and ensure they are held accountable for inappropriate content and promote positive community engagement that empowers parents to be able to better communicate with their preteens and involve key stakeholders in creating a more balanced approach that reflects and aligns with the lifestyle of this generation of children and teens
