An overwhelming 87 percent of Australians demand stricter age limits for social media use, with 16 emerging as the preferred minimum age.
Parents are leading the charge, with 91 percent of those with kids aged 5-17 calling for stricter restrictions to protect their children from the dangers of social media.
The Statewide Survey, commissioned by the Minns Labor Government, was conducted between Aug. 11 and Sept. 15, engaging more than 21,000 participants.
The findings spotlight growing concerns about how much time young people spend on social media, with those aged 16-17 averaging over three hours of daily usage. Alarmingly, social media engagement begins as early as ages 10-12, with 70 percent of children in this age group already active on social platforms, and usage rising steadily with age.
“The community has made it clear. Parents are genuinely concerned about the influence social media has on young people’s lives,” NSW Premier Chris Minns commented.
The survey revealed that 35 percent of parents of children aged 13-15, particularly those from single-parent households, believe that social media has a “negative” or “very negative” impact on their child’s life. These concerns primarily relate to excessive screen time leading to addiction, exposure to inappropriate content, and the detrimental effect on daily responsibilities, such as schoolwork.
Young people expressed similar views, with 66 percent of 16-17-year-olds acknowledging that social media distracts them from essential tasks, including academic work and family obligations.
The survey also indicated a direct link between increased time on social media and adverse outcomes.
Parents whose children spent over four hours a day online were more than twice as likely to report harmful effects compared to those whose children used social media for under an hour a day.
Common worries among parents included cybersecurity risks, exposure to harmful content, and behavioural changes in their children. Many parents, especially those with younger children, expressed uncertainty about implementing adequate safety measures, highlighting a need for more explicit guidance.
In response, the Minns government will co-host the first-ever Social Media Summit in collaboration with South Australia. This two-day event, starting on Oct. 10 in Sydney and continuing in Adelaide, will gather experts, policymakers, young people, and community voices to explore solutions to mitigate social media’s harmful impacts and promote a healthier digital future.
“The feedback from this survey will inform discussions at the Social Media Summit and help shape our response to the harmful aspects of social media,” Premier Minns emphasised.
During a recent Senate Committee hearing on social media’s impact on Australian society, Georgia Harman, CEO of Beyond Blue, shared that 58 percent of Australians now take regular breaks from social media as a well-being measure, underscoring the growing awareness of the adverse effects of social media on mental health.
