Chris Minns and SA Premier Peter Malinauskas argue social media has ‘changed childhood’
NSW Premier Chris Minns and SA Premier Peter Malinauskas have argued social media has ‘changed childhood’ ahead of the institution of a federal age limit.
NSW Premier Chris Minns and SA Premier Peter Malinauskas have argued social media has “changed childhood” ahead of the institution of a federal age limit.
Appearing at an interstate social media summit in Sydney, the state Premiers outlined new areas for consultation regarding youth mental health online.
“We do have some control over the incursion of technology in our lives, (it) is not all a one way street of more technology forever and ever, with no restrictions or no regulations,” Mr Minns said.
“This is an important issue that is fundamental to our two states, and I’d like to see more of it in the Commonwealth, the states working together.
“We cannot and we should not outsource these questions to what are effectively unelected billionaires living in Silicon Valley.”
The Summit will continue tomorrow in Adelaide.
“We have the power to do something that is powerful and meaningful. We have the capacity and the ability to ensure that young people and future generations are able to harness the good of social media, but also dispense with the bad,” Mr Malinauskas said.
“We could tell ourselves social media is a superficial sign of the generational divide; the contemporary equivalent of an out of touch dad complaining about how much he dislikes his young child’s music. But this isn’t that anymore.
“The results are in, the science is settled. We know for a fact that social media has changed childhood.”
Speaking on the forthcoming social media age limit, Mr Minns said he would support a restriction “as high as we can make it” but stopped short of advocating for a ban on all users under 16.
“The implications of doing nothing are hugely profound. The rates of self harm, anxiety, affected health and depression amongst young people right across the world almost exactly correlate with the widespread, ubiquitous use of social media,” Mr Minns saidt.
“We have to be in a situation where we’re willfully ignoring the facts on the table to say that there’s nothing that we can do now.
“We put restrictions in place when it comes to alcohol consumption and sale of cigarettes to young people, some people still breach them to go smoke behind the science building, but as a result of that ban being in place, the harm done is greatly reduced.
“This isn’t about stopping technology. It’s not about returning the world to the 1990s, it’s not about the good old days. It’s about ensuring that technology works for us.”
Mr Minns addressed suggestions of a grandfather clause, following comments from ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr who suggested it “didn’t make sense” to ban current users below the federal age limit who would soon have accounts reinstated.
“I understand the Chief Minister’s concerns, (but) obviously, the reverse of that is that you could have a situation … someone that turns 14 a day after the legislation is introduced, they could be the part,” Mr Mins said.
“We’re not going to have a perfect bit of legislation here, but we can’t let perfection be the enemy of good, and in the long run, it’s going to make a difference.”
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