As Australia’s new age restrictions for social media come into place next week, carers are encouraged to talk to young people about how they’ll be affected.

From Wednesday, 10 December, a number of social media platforms face penalties if they don’t take reasonable steps to prevent young people under 16 from having their own accounts.

Even with a parent’s consent, children won’t be able to use most social media platforms if they are under 16.

These platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube. Under-16s will still be able to see publicly available social media content that doesn’t require logging into an account.

The changes are intended to reduce risks to children and young people from being exposed to harmful content, and protect them from online abuse, such as cyberbullying and image-based abuse.

Delaying account access until 16 will give young people more time to develop maturity before they use these platforms, creating breathing space to build digital literacy, critical reasoning, impulse control and greater resilience.

It also allows under-16s time to learn about online risks and their impacts, as well as how to stay safer online.

The eSafety Commissioner’s website contains exhaustive information about the restrictions and how they will work, including specific FAQs for parents and carers.

It also has helpful tips for parents and caregivers about having conversations with children and young people, including:

• Lead with empathy, letting them know you understand their feelings;
• Ask them how they currently use social media and provide alternatives that rebalances the brain’s reward system;
• Talk about the new law and what it means;
• Explain that the restrictions are to protect them, not punish them;
• Talk about the sorts of risks the law aims to help them avoid. These include spending too much time on screens and being over-exposed to negative and harmful content – which can impact their sleep, stress levels, attention and wellbeing;
• Focus on what they can still do online and offline;
• Reassure them they can always come to you or another trusted adult to talk about their concerns and
• It’s OK to try again later if the talk has not gone very well. Lots of little chats are often more effective than one big conversation.

Other topics covered include information about how young people are asked to prove their age, what happens to existing account information, how to handle conflict arising from the change, and how to support your child.

It’s important to remember that for many young people, social media is a deeply entrenched method of connection with peers, so following the change, they may become distressed or angry, feel isolated, or present particular behaviours.

Validate your young person’s feelings and let them know you’re listening and you’re there to help them find other activities or ways to connect with their peers, and remind them that the change is out of your control and affects all young people under 16 across Australia.

The eSafety Commissioner is also hosting 30-minute webinars for parents and carers to help them understand the changes and give them confidence to respond to young people’s questions or concerns.