Grieving parents praise social media age ban as ‘legacy’ to lost children

Parents who lost their children to suicide in the wake of bullying and extortion on social media are hopeful a nationwide age limit will protect other families from the same heartbreak.

Parents who lost their children to suicide in the wake of bullying and extortion on social media are hopeful a nationwide age limit will protect other families from the same heartbreak.

Anthony Albanese’s commitment to legislating a ban children and young teens from accessing platforms like Instagram and Tiktok before the May election has been welcomed by grieving families who feel their pleas have been heard.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday revealed his personal preference was to set the limit at 16-years-old, which is currently the Coalition’s position, and has vowed to work with states and territories to achieve a nationally consistent standard.

The progress toward imposing a social media age limit was welcomed by NSW mum Emma Mason, who’s daughter Matilda “Tilly” Rosewarne took her own life aged just 15 after she was subjected to torment in person and online.

“When I heard the announcement I really did have a ‘this one can be for Till’ feeling,” she said.

Emma Mason says a social media age limit is an important first step to protect children. Picture: Richard Dobson

“It’s movement forward and there’s so much more work that needs to be done, I absolutely appreciate that, but you have to take a win when you get.”

Ms Mason said she hoped a national standard of 16-years-old was settled on, and believed it would help parents enforce the rules even if some children continued to flout them.

Matilda ‘Tilly’ Rosewarne took her life after years of bullying.

“There are a lot of parents that should this be enacted into law, which I’m hoping it will be, who will have strength in saying now, you can’t be on social media,” she said.

“There are always children who have alcohol, or cigarettes and there will be children that will use social media and get around it, but the idea of firming it up so that there has to be that age verification goes a long way to stopping that kind of fraudulent behaviour.”

Wayne Holdsworth is proud of the move to impose age restrictions on social media. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Melbourne dad Wayne Holdsworth, founder of mental health awareness program Smacktalk, lost his 17-year-old son Mac to suicide in October last year, and said he was “proud” of the bipartisan progress toward protecting children online.

“It’s a historic day, and I don’t say that lightly, because social media is dictating our lives and this is one way of stemming the tide,” he said.

Mr Holdsworth’s son had been a victim of sextortion, an issue Australian Federal Police have labelled a “crisis” as they receive thousands of reports of criminals targeting children every month.

Wayne Holdsworth’s son Mac took his own life after falling victim to a sextortion plot online. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

He said with the social media age limit announcement he felt Mac’s life had been “recognised”.

“Mac’s life now means something and his legacy is ensuring that other kids aren’t subjected to the devils of social media,” Mr Holdsworth.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says raising the minimum social media age to 16 is where his thinking ‘is at’. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

He has also backed a national minimum age limit of 16-years-old, which Mr Albanese confirmed on Tuesday was his personal preference provided states and territories agreed.

“We want a national approach to an issue,” he said.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the government would be informed by its age assurance trial, which only went to tender this week and won’t start before mid-October.

Ms Rowland said it was an “option” that a bill was passed without a specific age limit and then that would be set at a later date through regulation.

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