Ban on social media for Under 16s takes effect tomorrow

For those with children under16, the social media ban that takes effect from tomorrow, 10 December, will likely cause some challenges but I believe the new national minimum-age restrictions will ultimately be beneficial. 

For anyone seeking further information or who are unsure about how to best support their children get used to the social media restrictions, there are good resources available. 

The Carly Ryan Foundation offers the Social Media Transition Parent Guide as a practical new resource to help Australian families support their children with the new restrictions and offers clear strategies to hep young people adjust to life without their social media accounts safely and confidently. 

It offers clear explanations of the proposed age restrictions and what they mean, what platforms are banned, and what support resources are available  to help children adjust to the changes in their online access. 

There is also information on reporting non-compliance, including e-Safety, law enforcement, and platform reporting pathways. 

Based upon model legislation drafted at the request of the SA Government, this new legislation puts the onus on social media platforms, rather than parents or young people, to take reasonable steps to ensure fundamental protections are in place.