Under 16s may soon be banned from social media and it's a good thing!

The Federal Government is proposing a social media ban for all people under the age of 16.

It is a move that has left many teenagers disappointed and many parents breathing a sigh of relief.

As a journalist, I use social media every day. It’s how a lot of my articles are shared and viewed but also where I find a lot of my content. While it is a handy tool for myself and my colleagues, it is easy to forget that it was not always the norm.

Twenty years ago the world’s biggest social media platform, Facebook, didn’t exist and now as a 25-year-old, I haven’t known a world without it and it’s this reason that I feel for parents of teenagers right now.

My generation was the first to grow up with social media with little to no restrictions, and while it has been almost 10 years since I was 16, I like many my age and younger, have felt the effects of being naive to the dangers of social media.

At the time, I thought it was normal to want so many people to like me all the time and to use social media as the means to do that. Now reflecting on that time in my life, I wish I waited until I was mature enough to process it properly and I know I’m not alone with this thought.

So it begs the question: were we tackling the unknown beast of social media incorrectly for too long?

According to the Household Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey’s Dr Ferdi Botha, the rate of psychological distress among 15- to -24-year-olds had increased by 120 per cent from 2011 to 2021.

Dr Botha’s study concluded that what drove this was teenagers’ and young adults’ need for attention and the direct route that social media provides to gaining it.

Headspace’s head of clinical leadership Nicola Palfrey said in an interview this year that the “like” button had fueled a huge jump in mental health-related issues not only for young people but for everyone.

“Developmentally, a 13-year-old girl and their need for affirmation is universal,” Ms Palfrey said in an interview with News.com.au.

“As a result, they are motivated to only post images of a ‘perfect life’ and those who don’t measure up to the ideal are left with negative feelings.”

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, rates of death by suicide were highest among young adults aged 18–24 years in 2022 (13.6 per 100,000 – an almost two and half times increase on 2002 figures).

As unpopular as the decision may be with teenagers, Mr Albanese’s decision to make this drastic call seems justified, but what do parents think?

Lynette Brunskill is the mother to two children between the ages of 13 and 15, both of whom have lived with social media since a young age.

“As a parent, this decision was a sigh of relief,” Ms Brunskill said.

“I know a lot of parents who have struggled to figure out an appropriate balance with letting their kids roam the internet and social media. I never experienced it as a kid; we barely had mobile phones let alone the internet in our pockets.

“I feel this gives parents the chance to say no to their kids definitively and hopefully allows them to socialise face to face.”

Deanne, 23, has used social media since she was 12 and experienced several forms of online bullying including posts made about her on public forums and messages including death threats.

Deanne said while she used social media during her youth, she believed from experience, a restriction is needed and that it should have been enforced long ago.

“Social media is addictive,” she said.

“Looking back I didn’t see the negative side of social media until I was 17 or 18 years old. I started to think certain behaviours online were normal and my mental health definitely suffered from it.

“If I could go back and tell myself to limit the time I spent online or even stop myself, I would have. I hope that kids now can understand that this ban really does have their best interests at heart and allows them to mature properly.”

Deanne isn’t the only individual between 18 and 25 I’ve spoken to who agrees with this sentiment. I asked several people online what they believe about the ban, with a number of them returning comments:

“[The decision is] Smart! Hopefully, it helps keep kids from growing up without the horrible world social media can be.”

“Sixteen is the perfect age, does more good than harm.”

While most people were in favour of the ban, some had questions about how effective it will be and how it will be enforced.

“The decision should be on the parents honestly,” one person wrote.

Emily Smit wrote that her immediate thoughts centred on the effectiveness of the ban.

“I signed up for Facebook at 11 because everyone else in my class already had it, and that was before it became as accessible as it is now,” she said.

“However, being an adult now and seeing what kids are able to access, I think it’s a good thing to introduce the ban. I still have a few questions tho.

“Will legislation really stop kids?

“It’s going to be a cultural shift and I don’t know how long that shift will take and what will happen to kids 13-15 that already have it?”

While all these questions are valid and substance for debate, had the ban not been introduced, would we have continued to fuel poor mental health in our young people and indirectly let them down?

If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact:
Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis support line – 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800 or kidshelpline.com.au
MensLine Australia – 1300 789 978.

Original Article published by Jarryd Rowley on Region Riverina.