South Australia Premier Peter Malinaskus announced plans to ban children under 14 from social media, as public debate stirs on whether a ban would work.
The proposal was sparked by concerns that social media is contributing to poor mental health in young people.
Technology journalist Trevor Long said a ban wouldn’t work, on Triple M Breakfast with Roo, Ditts & Loz:
A former High Court chief justice has been appointed to examine how the state could implement a ban on platforms including Instagram and TikTok.
“You can’t enforce a ban that a government makes like this,” Trevor Long said, “we don’t have any form of internet filter here in Australia.”
“Right now it’s not possible for kids to, according to Facebook and TikTok and others, join their platform before they’re thirteen. But are you trying to tell me there’s not eleven-year-olds that have TikTok accounts?”
Trevor said the government should be focussing on information, tools and education for parents to help them navigate their children’s social media use and mental health.
“The problem isn’t legislation. The problem is parents,” he said.