Political agreement grows over calls to ban under-16s from accessing social media

The major parties are in agreement over the need to limit children’s access to social media in light of ever-increasing online bullying, harassment and exposure to harmful content.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has vowed to use his first 100 days as prime minister (if elected) to bring in a social media ban for anyone under 16.

Blaming social media for “tragic consequences” and a “high prevalence of many health conditions, issues around body image” and online bullying, Mr Dutton said the technology was available to enforce a ban.

“I think it’s best to look at it from a parent’s perspective, and parents want some rules in place,” he said during a television interview.

“I think we say to people who are really having a tough conversation with their kids at the moment that it’s going to be easier if we have a law that says, in the conversation when you’re talking to your kids, that you can’t be on those platforms until you’re 16. That’s the law.

“You can’t drive a car until you get your licence. That’s the law. You’d love to drive a car beforehand.

“I just think, given the exposure that we see young kids get now online, it’s a huge and confronting world out there.

“We see an increase in the number of self-harms, young girls who are suffering from eating disorders, image issues, etc, etc.

“A lot of that constant stream has a negative impact, and I think this is a sensible measure.

“There’s a lot of technology in place to help with the age verification that’s not going to take people’s data, etc.

“So I think it’s a well-balanced approach.”

The approach seems to have the approval of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who described social media as a “scourge” when asked about Mr Dutton’s pledge.

In that description, he agreed with the Opposition Leader.

But while the Prime Minister has condemned the harms of social media previously, his language has now become even stronger.

He hasn’t called for a ban before, but has backed the Opposition’s stance while also noting technology to make a ban effective was still being developed.

The Federal Government has directed $6.5 million towards age-assurance technologies.

“I want people to spend more time on the footy field or the netball court than they’re spending on their phones,” Mr Albanese said.

“And a ban, if it can be effective, is a good way to go.”

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, during an ABC Radio interview, described the work of a parliamentary committee examining the issue and the technology trial being funded.

She said a concern beyond that of stopping kids from fooling the technology was one over how to fill a void in their lives that a social media ban would create.

An eSafety survey found teenagers (aged 12 to 17) to be spending an average of 14.4 hours a week online.

“I think every parent, everyone involved in a child’s life, is worried about this and worried about the impact that social media is having on their children’s health, mental health, physical health,” Senator Gallagher said.

“So, this is something that we again as a community need to respond to. And we have to look at the challenges and how you would actually implement something like that, which is why that ongoing work with the trial that we funded in the Budget is really important to understand how that would work.

“And also what the behaviour change would be, you know. For if you ban something, what would then – you know, you have to go in with your eyes open about the attempts then to fill another spot in the online world.

“So, I guess all of these – it’s not simple, I wish it was, but we’re very actively engaged in it and we hear all of the concerns of parents. Many of us – well, most of us – are parents ourselves. We’re dealing with it in our households as well.”