CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | Contact
Fears are growing that the upcoming age restrictions for social media could result in young people being cut off from crucial resources.
After months of succesful campaigning from concerned Aussie parents, the government is now introducing legislation to parliament that will ban children under the age of sixteen from accessing social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat.
However, it is not yet known for certain whether the video streaming platform YouTube will fall within the ban,
This has caused concern range of experts, ranging from high profile educators to The Wiggles, have have called for a carve out for the video platform.
While the general consensus is that unmoderated messaging apps and dangerously algorithmic social media feeds are damaging the mental health and social wellbeing of teenagers, calls are growing for video gaming and video streaming to be not be placed in the same basket.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has addressed these concerns in Parliaments, clarifying that a fine tooth comb with be run through the government’s legislation once it has been tabled.
However, these vague assurances do not quell fears that young people will no longer have access to formative online experiences that can only be found on websites like YouTube, such as ‘Sonny Bill Williams Biggest Hits 2004-2008’
The Communications Minister has spoken to this particular issue directly.
“We understand there are concerns that these laws could result in young people people growing up without seeing a 21-year-old Sonny Bill destroying his opponents with a straight him”
“Obviously as a Blacktown girl with Pasifika family, the importance of these videos are not lost me”
“This government will do whatever they can to protect young people’s most important coming of age experiences. And grainy compilation videos of Sonny Bill Williams biggest hits with a mid-2000s rap soundtrack are obviously a big part of that”
