Let The Be Kids: Allegra Spender says social media platforms make money off kids’ distress

Insidious and ‘addictive’ social media algorithms contribute to teens’ anxiety, poor performance at school, and conflict with parents, Teal MP Allegra Spender says.

Teal MP Allegra Spender has taken aim at social media companies after a survey of parents conducted in her electorate found young people were being exposed to porn, gambling and violent content.

Insidious and “addictive” algorithms were also contributing to teens scrolling on their screens endlessly, contributing to anxiety, poor performance at school, and conflict with parents, the Wentworth MP said.

Conducted in the wake of the Bondi stabbing attacks, the survey found families overwhelmingly wanted social media companies to do better in protecting its younger users.

The survey found more than 70 per cent of parents wanted a more effective tool to report harmful content, a ban on gambling and alcohol ads, and greater transparency on the algorithms used.

Parents also believed there needs to be an overarching duty of care to protect the wellbeing of young people on social media, and a “shield function” for users to opt out of specific types of harmful content such violent/extreme content and eating disorder content.

Wentworth MP Allegra Spender says social media moguls need to protect kids. Picture: Martin Ollman

More than 60 per cent of parents want social media companies to allow users to reset/make choices about their algorithms on demand and a social media ban for children under 16.

However, some people worried banning social media for under-16s would drive their usage underground and be difficult to enforce.

New Corp Australia’s Let Them Be Kids campaign wants teenagers to be 16 before they can access social media.

Just under half indicated young people could be better protected from unwanted content if social media companies provided content only on what was being followed with “no additional content suggested”.

Ms Spender said the survey results — which have been submitted to the joint select committee on social media inquiry — reflected the growing concerns in the community about harmful content, especially after the Bondi attacks.

“After Bondi Junction, the biggest issue in our community was the violent imagery online.

“All we could advise was to get kids off social media as they were seeing stuff they absolutely shouldn’t have been,” Ms Spender said.

Social media moguls Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg needed to take greater responsibility to protect kids, she said.

“You’re making money off our kids and their distress,” she said.

More than 200 submissions have been lodged with the inquiry, which comes amid growing pressure on social media companies to do more to protect young people, with News Corp Australia’s Let Them Be Kids campaign calling for children under 16 to be restricted from having social media accounts.

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