Parents “generally agree” the risk of online harm to children, such as bullying, exposure to pornography and predatory activity, needs to be reduced, but a national age-based ban has met with mixed responses. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on September 10 that his Government would engage with the states and territories before introducing legislation this year enforcing a national minimum age for access to social media platforms.
It came two days after South Australia premier Peter Malinauskas released a report by former High Court judge Robert French that included proposed laws for banning children aged under 14 from setting up social media accounts in the state.
In a statement, the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT said parents and carers have “long-held concerns” about the impact of social media on their children.
“Many feel inadequate when it comes to navigating social media platforms given the speed at which they have been developed and gained popularity,” it read.
“As such there is a general agreement with the need to limit access to social media platforms.
“This needs to be coupled with greater education and awareness of the role parents and carers play in navigating the social media landscape and modelling and establishing good habits and behaviours in their children.”
Australian Catholic University media researcher Chloe Gordon said regardless of any new age limit, young people need to be equipped with skills to effectively navigate the digital world.
Dr Gordon is working with the Alannah & Madeline Foundation to develop media literacy lessons as part of their eSmart Program.
The foundation’s chief executive, Sarah Davies, told Guardian Australia while it was not opposed to raising the age limits, such a move may be ineffective and “actually create more harm” and that a better approach would include better regulation of tech companies.
Melinda Tankard-Reist, founder of women’s advocacy group Collective Shout, and Dany Elachi, co-founder of parents’ advocacy group Heads Up Alliance, welcomed the announcement but differed over the best minimum age limit, preferring 16 and 18 years respectively, The Australian reported.
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Parent groups welcome age-based social media limits (By Marilyn Rodrigues, The Catholic Weekly)
