The country where a social media ban is already failing – and what parents can do

The world has been watching since December, when Australia became the first nation to ban social media for under-16s.

But months after children were blocked from all major platforms, evidence shows tech companies have not done enough to implement the restrictions, with many young people finding ways of circumventing them.

Research by the UK-based online safety charity, the Molly Rose Foundation, found more than 60 per cent of Australian children are still using social media, while virtual private network (VPN) apps that hide a user’s location have surged in popularity.

With a consultation on usage for the UK’s under-16s closing on Tuesday night, eyes have turned to the British Government to see if it will emulate Australia’s ban.

UK police have urged unsafe social media platforms to be blocked for children, while doctors say there is an “overwhelming consensus” that screen time is harmful.

But critics warn that an outright ban would be difficult to uphold and resources should be put towards enforcing existing laws instead.

Is Australia’s social media ban failing?

A March report from the Australian Government’s online safety regulator, eSafety Commissioner, found that around 7 in 10 parents reported their child still had social media accounts.

It stated there are still “major gaps”, with a “substantial proportion” of Australian children continuing to “retain accounts, create new accounts, or pass platforms’ age assurance systems”.

Molly Rose Foundation CEO Andy Burrows said their survey raises “major questions about the effectiveness of Australia’s social media ban” and suggests it would be a “high-stakes gamble” for the UK to follow suit.

Concerns have also been raised about data protection and the accuracy of age verification software.

Australia’s Age Check Certification Scheme found that face-scanning technology was only 85 per cent accurate in picking a user’s age within an 18-month range.

And young people are finding ways of getting around the ban, with thousands of Australians joining lesser-known platforms such as Lemon8, Yope or Coverstar.

There was also a spike in the number of people downloading VPNs, which allow users to hide their location and pretend they are in another country to circumvent the age restriction.

What could a UK ban look like?

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that a crackdown on teenagers using social media will come “very quickly” after the Government’s consultation ends.

Its response will be published this summer, with new measures introduced by the end of the year.

Options discussed with parents and being trialled with UK teenagers include digital curfews and time limits on apps, as well as stronger age checks.

Burrows said that early evidence from Australia suggests its ban “only lets tech firms off the hook” and called for stronger regulation.

But Jan Forshaw, head of education for Coram Life Education, a UK-based children’s charity, said Australia’s ban is still in its early stages and working “to the extent that they expect at this point”.

“It’s just about shifting the norm,” she told The i Paper. “In the way that you’re never going to be able to stop children from getting hold of cigarettes or alcohol, but it’s a lot less likely that they’ll use them because of the regulations that surround them.”

She called for a UK ban to follow Australia’s “holistic approach” of enforcing restrictions on children’s accounts while working with big tech companies and launching a major public information campaign.

Last week, an Australian court upheld a fine against Elon Musk’s X after it admitted failing to comply with child safety measures, resolving a three-year legal battle.

How can you protect your child?

Start an open dialogue: Parents should start showing genuine interest in their child’s online world, as well as having open discussions about safety and media literacy.

Katie Freeman-Tayler, director of policy and research at the online safety group Internet Matters, said: “Ask about the games they play and the apps they use, talk about their experiences and how they stay safe.

“Regular conversations make it easier for a child to ask their parent for help or tell them when something goes wrong because there will be a history of open communication.”

The Internet Watch Foundation, which monitors child sexual abuse online, said parents should also have “age-appropriate conversations with children about the dangers online”.

Set family-wide agreements: Freeman-Tayler said parents could also create “digital agreements” between the whole family – including adults – around when and where devices can be used and for how long.

Set parental controls: Parents can set controls on their children’s devices with options across broadband companies, mobile networks and devices.

Social media parental controls allow you to monitor screentime, restrict inappropriate content and manage who can contact your child.

There are also device-level controls such as Apple Screen Time or Google Family Link, and specialised monitoring apps.

Jan Forshaw, from Coram, suggested “delaying the time that their children have access to a smartphone” and ensuring they are used in a “safe, shared environment”.

المصدر: iNews