Online platforms are central to learning, social connection and identity development for young people in general, but particularly in rural and remote areas.
On December 10, 2025, the Federal Government will implement its Online Safety Amendment (social media Minimum Age) Act requiring platforms to block users under 16; unless they can prove their age, aiming to protect youth from harms like screen time and harmful content, placing the onus on platforms, not parents, for age verification and privacy. It is a good move, but only the start of what is needed.
It is as hoped by many parents and health workers that deal with the health and mental health impact of social media, that this is only the start of more that needs to be done by Government. The good thing is, that preventing children from being groomed, cyber bullied or interacting with harmful content has support across all levels and sidrs of Parliament. This issue has been sneaking up on us for a while.
For some parents social media has been a nightmare that will never end. The cycle of anxiety, comparison, and negative mental health effects driven by constant online engagement, manifesting as actual nightmares (e.g., inability to log in, online conflicts) or a persistent feeling of inadequacy from seeing curated “highlight reels,” leading to poor sleep, increased stress, and a sense of doom.
Will this legislation change behaviour or has the horse bolted?, at least for those who had already manipulated their accounts when they set them up to demonstrate that they are above a certain age, or have found other ways to access information.
There are evidence-informed options that protect young people online more effectively than an under-16 social media ban and need to be included in a suite of actions by Government, if we are to be as effective as we need to be.
Unchecked commercial practices expose children to:
- mental health risks
- algorithmic manipulation
- bullying and exploitation
- targeted advertising
- addictive design, similar to gambling addiction
A ban on age signals concern, but can also:
- push young people to unsafe underground platforms
- create enforcement inequalities
- weaken connection support, especially for already vulnerable children e.g. rural and remote, those in the autism spectrum or disabilities or those who are physically isolated due to where they live
- transfer responsibility from industry to families
What works better or is needed with the ban, includes;
- Duty-of-Care Law for Tech Platforms: Require companies to redesign harmful features (e.g., infinite scroll, targeted ads to minors, algorithms) and report on harm, similar to work health and safety regulation.
- Age-Verified Safety Defaults: Mandatory secure age verification with default controls that restrict data collection, algorithms, and advertising — protecting children without excluding them, nor making them the problem.
- National Digital Literacy Curriculum: From primary school, teach manipulation awareness, consent online, body image resilience, misinformation recognition and safe relationships.
- Youth-Accessible Complaints & Enforcement Mechanism: A child-safe digital ombudsman with the power to investigate harm and compel platform change.
- Rural Equity Lens: Ensure connectivity, content relevance and support access for rural and remote youth — who depend more on digital spaces for connection and help-seeking, purely due to the issues faced by tyranny of distance and their post code.
There is the need to commit to a national child online safety reform package including:
- duty-of-care regulation for platforms
- mandated safety-by-design settings
- invest in curriculum
- a youth-informed regulatory body
- rural inclusion principles
- Indigenous specific strategies
Bans often shift young people into unregulated online spaces where they are less visible and less protected. It is human nature to come up with other ways of “getting around obstructions” A ban can sound strong, but unless Tech platforms are held accountable, harm continues — it will just out of sight.
This is a good move as a start. But the new legislation needs an ..and…. not a full stop. We need laws that force platforms to redesign harmful features — the addictive scrolling, targeted ads, body image pressures and data harvesting that drive real damage. It’s the design of Tech platforms and algorithms that hurts young people, not their presence online.
Parents are under pressure from daily living, making ends meet and pressure from their children who are connected via social media.
Parents don’t need blame — they need tools and the protection from government to manage large tech companies. They also need guidance on co-creating digital boundaries with their children, knowing where to seek support, spotting distress signs or mental health issues in their children. When parents are empowered, digital wellbeing improves.
Young people should not be treated as problems, but partners in solution building. They understand the online world better than most adults and must be included in co-designing solutions. It makes sense to include them.
I often highlight rural young people. In some ways they are so fortunate to grow up with open spaces, less traffic and solutions and nature. In other ways, especially if they have socio economic challenges, disabilities or feel disconnected, rural Australia can also be isolating and lonely. This is especially so at Christmas or at times, where they are not near their friends and the school environment. It is difficult enough to be a teenager.
Teenagers today face significant challenges, primarily in mental health (anxiety, depression, self-harm), hormone influx, social pressures (bullying, cyberbullying, social media, peer pressure), academic stress, and navigating identity, body image, and substance use, all amplified by global issues like climate and the lingering effects of the pandemic, impacting their overall well-being and future.
For rural youth, online connection is even more critical — it’s often their identity space, social space, and sometimes their help-seeking pathway. If platforms fail them, they don’t just lose entertainment — they lose connection and support. Policy must reflect this, rather than punish them for wishing to stay connected.
Hence, regulating platforms is a priority not to punish children. Building safety in and not just building legislate absence. Young people deserve protection that keeps them connected, visible and heard.
The voice of youth – their voice matters — and reforms must be shaped with them, not just for you.
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