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 introduction of a federal age limit for accessing the online sites.
Labor premiers Chris Minns and Peter Malinauskas will back a social media age limit “as high as we can make it”, but will defer to federal legislation, arguing Silicon Valley has“changed childhood”.
Appearing at an interstate social media summit, the leaders of NSW and South Australia stopped short of advocating for a ban on under-16s, while leaving the door open to a grandfather clause that would leave current users close to the age limit exempt from forthcoming legislation.
“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,” Mr Minns said.
“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 who turns 14 a day after the legislation is introduced, they could be (exempt from the ban),” he said.
“The implications of doing nothing are hugely profound. The rates of self-harm, anxiety, affected health and depression among young people right across the world almost exactly correlate with the widespread, ubiquitous use of social media.
“We have to be in a situation where we’re wilfully ignoring the facts on the table to say there’s nothing that we can do now.”
The two-day summit began in Sydney on Thursday and was set to travel to Adelaide on Friday.
American author and public affairs professor Cynthia Miller-Idris spoke about social media’s association with violent extremism, a concern brought to the forefront by ASIO director-general Mike Burgess.
In August, Mr Burgess said from eight recent incidents classified as terrorist violence by the security organisation, five were committed by minors.
“Adolescents are the perfect storm when it comes to these types of radicalisation journeys, because they’re almost always looking for something,” Dr Miller-Idris said. “They’re trying to figure out who they are. They’re in an identity formation stage.
“People encounter bits and pieces of propaganda, ideology or conspiracy theories online and assemble them into their own version of hate.”
The age limit is currently under consideration and slated to be introduced before year’s end, taking advice from the national cabinet and a review by former chief justice Robert French.
“We have the power to do something that is powerful and meaningful,” Mr Malinauskas said. “We have the capacity and the ability to ensure young people and future generations are able to harness the good of social media, but also dispense with the bad.
“We’ve had the courage and utility … to lead the rest of the world when it comes to important social reforms. This should be no different. The urgency is here.”
Keynote speaker Jean Twenge said adolescents were accessing self-harm material with ease under current regulation.
“There’s a lot of information on these sites about exactly how to harm yourself, exactly how to take your own life, exactly how to starve yourself,” the US academic said.
“Vulnerable populations can find this information online in a way that did not used to be possible.
“Sean Berger, one of the founders of Facebook, said recently: ‘Facebook exploits a vulnerability in human psychology, but we did it anyway’. Earlier in that conversation, he said: ‘God knows what it’s doing to our children’s brains’.
“Social media companies have poured billions into making their algorithms as sticky and addictive as possible.”
Surveying by the Minns government indicated 87 per cent of voters supported an age limit, with the majority supporting a ban up to age 16. For parents, support sat at 91 per cent.
The research tracked platform usage among young Australians in NSW. Some 70 per cent of those aged 10 to 12 had already adopted social media, while those aged 16 to 17 averaged three hours of screen time across platforms daily.
Research by the eSafety Commissioner estimated early adoption was far higher at 84 per cent among those aged eight to 12.
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman advocated for a ban up to age 16 ahead of the summit. “Parents feel powerless, watching their kids struggle under the pressure of a digital world they’re not ready for,” he said.
“By raising the social media age to 16, we’re giving families back control and protecting our young people when they need it most.”
Also at the summit were NSW Education Minister and Deputy Premier Prue Car, Health Minister Ryan Park, Youth Justice Minister Jihad Dib, Property Minister Steven Kamper, Youth Minister Rose Jackson and Sydney councillor Yvonne Weldon.
Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen spoke from the US. Key bureaucrats including NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant and NSW Chief Psychiatrist Murray Wright were also present.
Who will White hire as the next WiseTech CEO?
Richard White was chief executive of WiseTech for 30 years. This week the 69-year-old founder took control of the company’s board and the search for its next CEO.
Network-sharing deal buoys TPG
TPG is confident it will be able to recuperate the costs of its network-sharing deal with Optus with the addition of between 100,000 and 200,000 new customers.