‘National crisis’: Mother’s speech highlights true danger of social media

An Australian mother’s impassioned speech has highlighted the frightening danger of something your teens do every day.

This article discusses the issue of eating disorders and could be triggering for some readers.

An Australian mother’s emotional speech about her daughter’s experience with eating disorders has highlighted the dangers of social media for teens.

Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA) executive director Jane Rowan took to Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday morning to share her heartbreaking story about her daughter’s struggle with Anorexia Nervosa.

The mum of four shared her heartache after her eldest daughter was diagnosed with the debilitating illness at just 15. It took seven years for her to feel like she had “fully recovered”.

Rowan highlighted the inherent danger of social media and the frightening role apps such as Instagram had in fuelling her eating disorder due to the relentless stream of harmful diet advice and unrealistic body standards.

EDFA executive director Jane Rowan has taken to parliament to discuss her concerns. Picture: Supplied

“Social media did not make her recovery easy,” Ms Rowan explained in her opening statement to the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society.

“She lacked the maturity and skills to discern helpful content from harmful content. As a parent, I was not even aware she was consuming pro-anorexia and self-harm content.

“Our story is not unique. Eating Disorder Families Australia currently supports over 3000 parents and carers of those with an eating disorder.

“An EDFA survey in October last year found 81 per cent of parents and carers believe social media had either contributed to the eating disorder or impeded recovery.

“Parents observe that social media exacerbates concerns about appearance, food and exercise, creating an environment that normalises and promotes unhealthy and dangerous behaviours.”

Ms Rowan went on to speak about three different Australian parents who had all been touched by eating disorders fuelled by social media.

Tragically, one teenager’s battle, she said, had ultimately led to him taking his own life.

“Fiona allowed her daughter access to Snapchat, leading to a crisis of self-worth and the onset of Anorexia Nervosa,” she said.

“Sharnn’s teenager was impacted by others with Anorexia and pro-diet influencers on

TikTok and Instagram.

She revealed how her daughter suffered with an eating disorder for many years. Picture: iStock

“And then there is Mia, who has spoken so bravely of how her 14-year-old-son, influenced by social media, developed body dysmorphia and then Anorexia Nervosa, ultimately leading to his suicide with the method also provided to him by social media.

“All of these parents are educated, well-informed, and very much involved in their child’s treatment – yet they still couldn’t prevent these devastating outcomes.”

She further explained that most parents feel “powerless” against the influence of social media.

“They are no match for the advanced algorithms and targeted messages meant to reach their children who have not yet developed the maturity and skills necessary to navigate this new online world,” Ms Rowan said.

“It is no longer reasonable to expect parents alone to protect our young people from the myriad of harms of social media use.

“Parents face an impossible choice: allow access to social media, exposing their children to

targeted content and unregulated dangers, or prevent access, risking exclusion and

disconnection from school and social life.”

Ms Rowan is one of the faces behind News Corp’s national Let Them Be Kids campaign, which has called on the federal government to raise the age limit to access social media to 16.

Rowan is calling on the government to raise the age of social media apps to 16. Picture: iStock

Parents from across Australia, along with experts in mental health, child advocacy, and child protection, want to “stop the scourge of social media and give kids back three years of childhood”.

“Parents need help. Government intervention, to set the rules that social media must abide by if they are to operate in Australia, is not only needed – it is essential,” Ms Rowan pleaded.

“EDFA calls for the age limit for social media access to be raised to 16 with effective age verification measures by the social media platforms in place.

“Lifting the age limit would be a powerful tool in the parental toolbox. As my 15-year-old daughter succinctly states, she would be fine without social media access if it applied to everyone.

“We also need practical support and social media literacy resources for parents and carers; as well as stringent content moderation and algorithm transparency requirements on social media platforms.”

Many teens are suffering due to social media. Picture: iStock

She ended her address with a poignant overarching question.

“How many lives must be lost?” she asked, before adding that this was a “national crisis”.

“How many young lives must be ruined? How many young people must be sent on a trajectory they otherwise would not have taken without the calamitous influence of social media?

“Why is it that around one in five boys and one in three girls worldwide are now experiencing

disordered eating? Why has the incidence of eating disorders in those aged 10-19 risen by 86 per cent since 2012?

“This is a national crisis and urgent action is needed. Failure to address the impact of social

media now will only place our young people at further risk.

“Not only exacerbating their mental health needs, but also preventing them from reaching their full potential and contributing meaningfully to Australian society.”

Originally published as ‘National crisis’: Mother’s speech highlights true danger of social media