Social Media

You may be aware that new Australian laws have now come into effect regarding the use of social media by young people. Under these new regulations, children under the age of 16 are no longer permitted to create or maintain accounts on major social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook and similar services.

These changes are part of a national effort to protect young people’s wellbeing and provide greater safeguards around online content, privacy and safety. The responsibility for enforcing this age requirement sits with the social media platforms and parents are encouraged to monitor this at home. 

As platforms begin to comply with the law, some students may find that existing accounts are removed or restricted and this may be unexpected or upsetting. We understand that social media use is different for every family, and that online spaces are often used to stay connected with friends, hobbies and interests.

At school, we will:

• reinforce the importance of safe and respectful communication
• continue to teach digital literacy and online wellbeing as part of our learning program

• encourage healthy, positive ways to stay connected with peers outside of social media

   

We kindly ask parents to have open conversations at home about these changes and to reassure children that their feelings are valid. If your child is worried or impacted, please contact us, we are here to support them.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership as we work together to keep our children safe, connected and supported in both online and offline environments.