Australia enacts world-first social media ban for children under 16

Australia becomes the first nation to ban social media for children under 16 as landmark legislation takes effect on Wednesday.

Social media has become an often vicious, mean-spirited forum.

This Wednesday, Australia will enact the most significant child protection measure implemented anywhere in the world this century.

The social media ban, starting from December 10, has one crucial aim – to keep our children safe.

It is designed to protect kids under the age of 16 from mental health risks, from cyber-bullying, from inappropriate content and from those addictive behaviours which have manifested themselves in youths across the world in the 20 years since social media began its dominion over their lives.

What started as a promising new avenue of communication has descended into an often vicious, mean-spirited forum that has traumatised millions of young people, some of whom have taken their own lives.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

There is credible research showing a rise in self-harm of between eight and 11 per cent among adolescents becoming apparent around 2010-12.

That increase dovetails with the first wave of adolescents who had to deal with social media.

The new legislation, a direct result of The Courier Mail and Sunday Mail Let Them Be Kids campaign, will not be trouble-free.

As eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant says, kids will attempt to circumnavigate the ban because “that’s what teenagers do”.

But the real power of these new laws will not be directed against kids or their parents if teens do find loopholes to exploit. They are not the ones who will face fines.

The onus for enforcement rests with the social media giants who, by law, must take reasonable steps to enforce the ban.

If platforms fail to obey the new rule, fines of up to $49.5m million await them.

Ultimately, a series of almost unimaginable tragedies have led to this ban. Today, seven grieving parents who have lost children to suicide directly linked to social media share their grief.

It’s their stories, and their pain, that has been a prime mover in the passage of these new laws.

We thank them for their bravery.

It’s time to take a stand, to save a generation of children and this nation, with the world watching, is the first to do so. When we say “Let Them Be Kids”, we mean it.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Melanie Pilling, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details are available at www.couriermail.com.au/help/contact-us

Originally published as Australia enacts world-first social media ban for children under 16