Social media ‘does far more harm than good’

Race to finish reports recommending stricter social media laws and for legislation before the parliament is dissolved.

Lucy Wicks. Picture: Supplied

Fears of nasty people doing bad things to others, especially to children, has driven a majority of Australians to believe social media does more harm than good.

Although 75 per cent of people believe there is some benefit to ­society from social media, 56 per cent believe it does more harm overall than good and only 28 per cent think it does more good than harm. The results come as two parliamentary committees race to try to get reports finished in time recommending stricter social media laws and for legislation to be passed before the parliament is dissolved for the election in May.

NSW Liberal MP Lucy Wicks, chair of the social media and online safety parliamentary committee, said there were signs that ­although social media did great good it could also do “very great harm with a long trail of trauma”.

Ms Wicks told The Australian it was impossible to “legislate people’s hearts and stop people saying some terrible things. It was possible to help and encourage healthy, respectful debate”.

“There is a bit of a disparity about what is stated to be done about hurtful things and what you can actually do,” she said.

While concern about the harm done to people through cyber bullying, grooming and stalking, fake news and undermining self-esteem through unreal “glamour and celebrity” expectations is highest among those aged over 65 there are even more people aged 18-24 who believe social media is more harmful than beneficial.

A national Omnipoll online survey of 1257 people from February 10-15 found 28 per cent of respondents said a family member had been negatively affected by social media, including 17 per cent who were personally affected.

One-third of respondents with under-18s in the household said the children had been negatively affected.

The biggest areas of complaint covered cyber bullying and a loss of self-esteem due to creation of unrealistic images about lifestyle, body image and pressure from being “liked” on social media.

The survey found in unprompted responses the main concerns about social media were 35 per cent for bullying, trolls, hate speech, stalking and predatory behaviour, and 29 per cent for misinformation and fake news.

The third-highest category, at 15 per cent, was the effects of the so-called glamour bubble, which gave young people a sense of low-esteem and the next categories, both on 8 per cent, were concerns about mental health and children.

There was virtually no difference between men and women towards overall harm done by social media but older people were the most critical; only 19 per cent of over-65s saying it did more good than harm and 69 per cent saying it did more harm than good.

In all age groups, more people who felt social media did more harm than good. The youngest group, 18-24, the only group with 100 per cent use of social media, had the highest positive reaction; 35 per cent believing it was more beneficial and 47 per cent saying it did more harm than good.

Only 9 per cent of the respondents didn’t use social media at all.

Submissions to the parliamentary committee on social media and online safety close next week.