A small but increasing number of countries are making it harder for children to access social media. This is by driven by concerns about its damaging impact on mental health.

In Australia, the government has just enacted a law banning children under 16 from social media, putting in place one of the world’s strictest measures against internet use for minors. The ban requires platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to block under-16 users or risk fines of up to £25.7m. In addition, in South Australia, mobile phones are now banned in school time.

These new legislations have sparked a fierce discussion in the country over possible impacts on child safety, online freedom, censorship, and tech policies.

In this talk, Professor Tracey Wade (Flinders University, Australia) will explore both sides of the argument, the evidence, and consider future approaches to safeguarding our children’s mental health.

Speaker

Professor Tracey Wade, Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor — College of Education, Psychology and Social Work

Attend this talk

We advise that you arrive 5 to 10 minutes before the event starts.

Refreshments will be served after the talk until 8.15pm.

Please note: there will be photography taking place at this event.