Australia is in the midst of a youth mental health crisis, and significant public discourse has centred on social media as the main – and sometimes only – culprit.
Evidence on the effects of social media use among young people is still emerging but, as detailed in the recent The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Youth Mental Health, existing evidence shows that while social media is likely one of the megatrends impacting youth mental health, the relationship is complex and bidirectional.
Action is required, but Orygen believes legislating age limits would be short-sighted, ineffective and potentially counterproductive.
A key concern about age limits is the impact on marginalised and vulnerable young people for whom healthy online communities are a lifeline.
A 2023 study found that young people believe age restrictions will lead to social exclusion and harm for those who use social media for support and connection. This is echoed by evidence that indicates young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and those residing in rural areas often rely on social media to maintain connection, relationships and access to mental health resources. Without adequate support systems in place, restricted access to social media could disproportionately disadvantage these groups of young people and result in digital exclusion and harm.
Another shortcoming of age limits is their shortsightedness.
Pushing young people off the platforms lets social media companies off the hook. The platforms will still not be appropriately regulated and whether the social media bans are lifted at the age of 14, 16 or 18, we will still see young Australians joining these platforms at developmentally critical periods of life.
In addition to this, it remains unclear how age verification can be safely implemented and enforced – age verification technology varies between platforms and there are concerns about the safety of ID verification not just for young people, but also for adults. Questions also remain about which platforms would be restricted – for example, would bans apply to popular online games, in which young people can communicate with other players?
Orygen believes more appropriate action includes regulating social media platforms to make them safer spaces, and educating young people and their parents on healthy social media use. Orygen has played a proactive role in the education space through programs like #chatsafe, an independently developed set of guidelines on suicide and self-harm for young people, educators, and parents and carers. Orygen has subsequently worked with Meta to translate these resources for use in 27 countries.
These approaches could be funded by a tax on social media companies, which was one of five suggestions from a Policy Lab recently convened by Orygen and informed by many of Australia’s leading mental health organisations, young people and parents/carers.
Action is required to keep young Australians safe online, but Orygen joins Australia’s other leading mental health organisations in arguing social media bans are not the answer.
Orygen broadly welcomes the federal government’s October 11 announcement of a policy that does not exclude young people from social media if platforms can demonstrate a “low risk of harm to children”, and an enforcement approach that will put the legal onus on social media companies, rather than young people and parents, to enforce any restrictions. We look forward to working with the government, young people and platforms to define such “low risk” environments and the ages at which the rules take effect.
Through evidence-based action such as education and regulation, we can ensure a digital landscape that keeps young Australians safe, connected and empowered.
Read our full submission: Social Media and Australian Society – Orygen and headspace submission to Joint Select Committee