Education, Communications Ministers ’want to work with’ principals and parents on social media ban

Anthony Albanese’s ministers have written to school principals and parents’ associations asking for their help enforcing a national social media ban for under 16-year-olds. Read from the letter.

Tangara School from Girls principal Rita Sakr banned mobile phones at her school long before a state-wide policy took effect. The Albanese government hopes a ban on social media for all under 16-year-olds will take the benefits beyond the classroom.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland have written to school principals and parents’ associations asking for their help enforcing a national social media ban for under 16-year-olds.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s national cabinet has endorsed the move to legislate 16 as the minimum age of access to social media, with a bill to be put to parliament in coming days and likely to pass with the Coalition’s support.

In a letter sent to groups representing school leaders and parents, ministers Clare and Rowland confirmed the legislation will “put the onus on social media platforms, not parents or young people, to take reasonable steps to ensure fundamental protections are in place” and will take effect 12 months after being passed into law.

“This is an important reform that will protect young people from the harms of social media and support parents, teachers and principals,” they wrote.

“Any further refinements to the legislation will be worked on closely with stakeholders, including schools and parents in the interest and betterment of children and young people.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare and his colleague Communications Minister Michelle Rowland have written to parents and principals asking for their advice. Picture: NewsWire

“We want to work with you to help ensure we get this guidance right.”

It comes after News Corp’s Let Them Be Kids campaign highlighted the scourge of social media’s impact on young minds and successfully petitioned the Albanese government to age-resist the platforms.

News Corp’s Let Them Be Kids campaign raised awareness of the dangers of social media.

Minister Clare said the reforms will extend the benefits already being seen in schools which have banned mobile phones beyond the classroom walls.

“We are seeing the difference. There are less distractions in the classroom and more playing and social interaction in the playground,” he said.

“But when school finishes, students get their phone back and they’re back in that social media cesspit.”

Australian Government Primary Principal Association president Pat Murphy said social media is a “constant concern” for school leaders and teachers, “with bullying being unregulated and prevalent”.

Youth ambassadors Shelby Mitchell (18), Oluhle Gasa (17), Jesse Alexander-Gordon (17) and Mia Richardson (14) represented their generation’s voice at the NSW and SA governments’ Social Media Summit last month. Picture: Tim Hunter

Mr Murphy, a former principal of Woodcrest State College in Ipswich, Queensland, said the ban on mobile phones had been “transformational” but more than half of kids in Years 5 and 6 are still active on social media sites.

“Our students are facing unprecedented challenges with social media influencing their self-esteem, relationships and concentration in the classroom,” he said.

“With social media’s constant comparisons and pressures, many primary school students feel overwhelmed, and they are not mature enough to deal effectively with these pressures.”