Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s offers a real-world experiment on the technology’s impact on youth mental health and wellbeing
TOKYO: Australia’s impending ban on social media for children under 16 will turn the nation into a real-life laboratory for tackling the technology’s impact on young people.
Experts say the world-first ban, effective December 10, is a pivotal natural experiment for researchers.
Proponents cite a growing body of studies linking excessive online time to declining teen wellbeing.
Opponents counter that insufficient hard proof exists to justify legislation that may cause more harm than good.
Psychologist Amy Orben, who leads a digital mental health programme at the University of Cambridge, noted adolescent brains develop into their early 20s.
She told AFP a “huge amount” of observational research correlates teen tech use with worse mental health.
Conclusive evidence remains elusive because phones are ingrained in daily life, and teens may use social media due to pre-existing distress.
“With technology, because it’s changing so fast, the evidence base will always be uncertain,” Orben said.
“Evaluating the Australia ban is hugely important because it actually gives us a window on what might be happening.”
Australian researchers are recruiting 13- to 16-year-olds for a “Connected Minds Study” to assess the ban’s effects.
A 2024 World Health Organization survey found 11% of adolescents struggled to control their social media use.
Other research links excessive use to poor sleep, body image, school performance, and emotional distress.
A 2019 JAMA Psychiatry study of US schoolchildren found those spending over three hours daily on social media faced heightened mental health risks.
Some experts argue action cannot wait for perfect evidence.
“I actually don’t think this is a science issue. This is a values issue,” said Australian psychiatrist and clinical director of mental health Christian Heim.
He cited risks like cyberbullying, suicide, and access to sites promoting anorexia and self-harm.
Heim pointed to a 2018 study linking addiction to WeChat with reduced grey matter volume in the brain.
“We can’t wait for stronger evidence,” Heim said.
Scott Griffiths of the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences said a definitive “smoking gun” study is unlikely soon.
He expressed hope the ban would motivate social media companies to better protect young people’s health.
A pre-legislation poll indicated over three-quarters of Australian adults supported the ban.
An open letter from more than 140 academics and experts warned a ban was “too blunt an instrument”.
Signatory Axel Bruns, a digital media professor, suggested anxiety may stem from pandemic schooling disruptions and global conflicts.
He warned bans could push teens to fringe sites and deny marginalised youth a sense of community.
Activist Noelle Martin, focused on online image abuse, doubted the ban’s effectiveness given Australia’s enforcement history.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has firmly backed the policy.
“Social media is doing social harm to our children,” Albanese said this year.
“There is no doubt that Australian kids are being negatively impacted by online platforms, so I’m calling time on it.” – AFP
