Should Australia Ban Social Media for Kids? [Poll]

Update: Australia has officially voted to prohibit social media usage for children below 16 years of age. According to a DMN reader poll on the subject, a large majority believe the US should follow suit—more details at the end of this article.

The effects of social media on children have sparked intense discussions within the tech community. Evidence points to the negative impact of platforms like Instagram on young users’ mental well-being, although some contend that these platforms facilitate social interaction.

Research highlights the significant decline in adolescent mental health over the last decade, with some correlation observed with the rise in social media consumption.

The CDC’s bi-annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey revealed that a majority of teen girls (57%) now report experiencing persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness (up from 36% in 2011), and 30% have seriously contemplated suicide (up from 19% in 2011). While boys also show worsening mental health, their rates of depression and anxiety remain comparatively lower, with smaller increases since 2011.

Several studies have endeavored to establish a causal connection between higher social media engagement and mental health issues. One researcher who evaluated the evidence concluded that there is now a clear affirmative answer.

Since 2019, a significant amount of new research has been published, showing an unexpected consensus among key figures in the debate […] The evidence strongly indicates that social media is a major contributor, not just a minor correlate, to depression and anxiety, alongside behaviors associated with these issues, such as self-harm and suicidal tendencies.

Last year, the American Psychological Association (APA) recommended that parents oversee and limit social media use for children up to the age of 14.

Additionally, numerous lawsuits have been filed against social media companies for allegedly aiming to make teenagers addicted to their platforms.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, has also expressed concerns regarding the detrimental impact technology can have on mental health.

Australia Considers a Ban for Under 16s

Associated Press reports that the Australian government is evaluating a prohibition.

The communications minister of Australia has introduced a groundbreaking law in Parliament that would restrict social media access for children under 16, noting that online safety is a significant challenge for parents.

Michelle Rowland stated that platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and Instagram could face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for failing to prevent young users from creating accounts […]

“For a significant number of young Australians, social media can be detrimental,” Rowland remarked. “Nearly two-thirds of Australians aged 14 to 17 have encountered extremely harmful content online, including drug use, suicide, self-harm, and violent material. A quarter have seen content that encourages unsafe eating habits.”

However, messaging and gaming platforms would not be subject to this ban.

What’s Your Opinion?

Do you think banning social media for children under 16 is a wise decision? Should there be alternative measures, such as requiring parental approval, instead of an outright ban?

We invite you to participate in our poll and share your opinions in the comments.

Update: As of this writing, our poll indicates that 69% of respondents believe we should “absolutely” implement such a ban, while 18% think we should “probably” do so. Only 9% oppose the idea.

Photo: Paul Hanaoka/Unsplash