September 12, 2024

Proposed ban will not solve social media concerns, experts say

Comprehensive strategy needed to boost digital literacy and understand use of data

A proposed ban on social media for young adolescents must go hand in hand with stronger regulation measures and greater accountability for tech companies and enhanced digital literacy, according to two researchers from the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) School of Education.

Dr Karley Beckman and Dr Tiffani Apps, who are both academics in the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, have responded to the Federal Government’s proposed landmark nationwide ban, announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese yesterday (Wednesday 11 September).

It would apply to social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and Tik Tok, although details such as the age limit and how it would be enforced have yet to be revealed.

Dr Beckman and Dr Apps provided a submission to the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society in June, based on their extensive research in the fields of digital literacy, education, and children’s digital rights. 

In their submission, Dr Beckman and Dr Apps said that to have a tangible and long-lasting impact, the legislation must be part of a comprehensive strategy to protect children and support their positive participation in digital technologies. This strategy should include government regulation to make social media platforms accountable through a national children’s code as well as comprehensive education from a young age.

Dr Beckman said age limits alone were not enough and were difficult to enforce.

“Age verification measures are highly problematic with technical challenges and privacy concerns. What is needed is regulation that requires tech giants, such as Meta, to design their platforms in ways minimise harm to children and young people,” Dr Beckman said.

The researchers’ proposed strategy to improve social media use in children and adolescents includes an updated curriculum, a greater understanding of the datafication of education, and examining the impact that parents and schools have on a child’s exposure to social media.

“A revised national K-12 curriculum should include a greater focus on critical digital and media literacy, so children are provided with vital tools from a very young age that will help them to navigate these technologies. This would include understanding the nature and logic of these platforms, how their data is used, how to keep themselves safe, and what their digital rights are,” Dr Apps said.

“Young children’s engagement with social media is largely facilitated by others. Research shows that a quarter of children aged between 8 and 12 currently use social media platforms, which suggests that it is most likely parents and caregivers who are enabling their access to social media.”

Dr Beckman and Dr Apps are leading a national research project that explores the use of social media by schools across Australia. Their preliminary findings show that children are often exposed to and engage with social media platforms through their parents and teachers, who share posts, images and videos of their daily activities and learnings.

“By implicating children in these practices, schools and teachers, often without even realising it, socialise children in the use of social media. We need to review how schools use social media that involves children and their data and also provide productive and educational strategies to support schools, teachers and parents to understand the risks associated with social media use among children.

“This is fundamental to promoting healthy and safe uses of social media platforms for all children.”

Dr Beckman and Dr Apps are hosting a Schools and Social Media Forum with the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child over the next few months. In these forums, they will bring together parents, educators, school leaders to learn and discuss the issues.

The findings will contribute to the national conversation and be used to generate a series of practical resources for policy makers, schools and families.