South Australia is considering a bold move to ban children under 14 from using social media, with Premier Peter Malinauskas leading the charge.
The South Australia Premier, Peter Malinauskas, has enlisted the expertise of Robert French, former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, to explore the legal aspects of this proposed ban, which would be a first for Australia.
If implemented, the ban would prohibit anyone under 14 in South Australia from using social media, while those aged 14 and 15 would need parental consent to access these platforms.
Malinauskas cited growing evidence of social media’s negative impact on children’s mental health and development as the driving force behind the proposal.
“There has been much examination and consequential evidence to suggest that addictive algorithms are being used to draw young people in a way that their developing minds are just not capable of dealing with.
“Our kids are being harmed now, and there’s no time to waste. I don’t want to sit around waiting for someone else. Let’s lead.”
Malinauskas suggested that the rules and regulations for the social media ban could mirror those preventing Australians under 18 from accessing online gambling.
This approach would aim to protect children from potential harm while online.
Speaking on how to enforce it, Premier Malinauskas highlighted that Mr. French’s investigation into the social media ban, which has no set deadline, would focus on the enforcement mechanisms.
This aspect is crucial for the successful implementation of such a significant policy change.
Also, Malinauskas noted that while the Australian Constitution assigns responsibility for media to the federal government, mental health is a state matter.
This underscored the state’s authority to address issues related to mental health, including those exacerbated by social media use among children.
“If indeed the advice comes back to Mr French that this is very difficult for state governments to regulate, then I think it will leave an open field for the federal parliament to act,” he said.
A 2021 report from the federal government’s eSafety Commissioner revealed that Australian teenagers spend an average of 14.4 hours per week online and use an average of four different social media services.
This statistic underscored the significant role social media plays in the lives of young Australians and the potential impact of a ban on their online behavior and mental well-being.
