As the Federal Government’s ban on under-16s accessing social media comes into force, Save the Children Australia is urging the eSafety Commissioner to closely monitor its real-world impact by listening to, and acting on, feedback from young people themselves.
The child-rights agency says meaningful youth input is essential to understanding unintended consequences, ensuring the policy is achieving its intended outcomes, and upholding the principle that children and young people must have a say in decisions that shape their lives.
Save the Children Australia’s Youth Advisor, Dante Casanova is concerned this ban will result in young people being ill-prepared for the realities of living in a digital world.
“The e-Safety Commission needs to listen to young people about what will make social media safer and more beneficial for them, such as media literacy education, and more regulation of the tech industry. Otherwise, when kids turn 16, they’ll find themselves on under-regulated, unsafe platforms that they have not been prepared to use safely and appropriately.
“It’s unavoidable – being digitally savvy is essential for any young person wanting to thrive in our society. Reducing social media access for kids not only adversely impacts their connection to others and digital literacy now, but it also fundamentally undermines their future success and autonomy," they say.
Save the Children recognises the digital environment poses real and sometimes severe risks for children. But while the Federal Government’s commitment to keeping children and young people safe online is welcome, the agency maintains that an outright ban for under-16s is not the answer. Instead, children should be supported to build the skills to navigate digital spaces safely — and the primary focus must be on holding technology companies accountable for making their platforms genuinely safe, transparent, and age-appropriate.
Save the Children Australia CEO Mat Tinkler says that while the safety of children is paramount, the unintended consequences of this ban may lead to other negative outcomes for kids.
“Like many parents, I am deeply concerned about the online safety of my children, and I welcome the Government's efforts to try and protect our kids on these platforms, but we should be seeking to balance their rights to protection and privacy with their right to information and participation,” says Mr Tinkler.
“Our research, as well as findings from other experts, shows that blanket bans don’t work. They can even be counterproductive, pushing children toward dangerous, unregulated platforms and making it harder for parents to engage in open conversations about online safety.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child advocates for national policies that ensure safe access to the online environment, allowing children and young people to benefit from digital engagement.
“As this ban comes into play, we are asking the eSafety Commission to closely monitor its effectiveness and act on the feedback of the young people most effects. Children must be put at the heart of decisions involving their digital futures, skills and wellbeing,” says Mr Tinkler.
In 2024, Save the Children Australia was part of a 140-strong group, including experts, academics, mental health, legal and child rights organisations, that signed an open letter to the NSW and SA Premiers and the Prime Minister before the bill was passed, urging a shift from blanket bans to a nuanced, multi-faceted response.
Globally, Save the Children International has developed a suite of social media and online guidelines to help support parents keep their children safe online.
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MEDIA CONTACT: media.team@savethechildren.org.au