Wellbeing

FREE Online Wellbeing Workshops and Webinars for Families

1. eSafety - Recognising online coercive control in young people's lives, 11 March 2026, 1:00pm REGISTER NOW
2. eSafety - Understanding and using parental controls to help protect your child online, 5 March 2026, 12:30pm REGISTER NOW
3. Headspace - Partners in Parenting, 10 self-paced and interactive modules for supporting high school-aged young people

Supporting Young People in a Changing Social‑Media Landscape

Australia’s recent decision to ban social media for children under 16, implemented at the end of 2025, marks a major shift in how governments are responding to the growing evidence of online harms faced by young people. The move reflects rising concern about cyberbullying, addiction, exposure to predatory behaviour, and the pervasive influence of harmful content on developing minds. The ban requires major platforms to enforce age‑verification and carries substantial penalties for non‑compliance, positioning Australia as the first country to enact such wide‑ranging protections for children online. 1

The urgency behind these policy responses has been amplified by the work of Jonathan Haidt, whose research argues that social media poses population‑level risks to adolescent mental health. Haidt and collaborator Zachary Rausch outline seven converging lines of evidence showing that social media use is not reasonably safe for young people—highlighting direct harms such as cyberbullying and sextortion, as well as indirect effects including rising depression and anxiety. Their analysis suggests that the rapid spread of algorithm‑driven platforms during the 2010s contributed meaningfully to the decline in adolescent wellbeing across Western nations. 2

These concerns are not abstract. A recent Guardian article gives voice to a 15‑year‑old girl describing the constant misogyny she encounters whenever she opens mainstream platforms. She details everyday exposure to degrading jokes, objectifying commentary, and even content trivialising violence against women—an online environment where disrespect and harassment have become disturbingly normalised. The piece illustrates how young people, particularly girls, are disproportionately targeted by harmful content and are often left to navigate online spaces that adults may underestimate or misunderstand. 3

As educators and families, we play a crucial role in helping students feel safe, informed, and supported as they engage with digital worlds—whether or not they use social media personally. The new legislation and the growing body of research should encourage us to have open conversations at home and at school about digital wellbeing, respectful relationships, and the pressures young people face online.

For parents seeking guidance on managing technology boundaries, fostering healthy communication, or supporting teens navigating online risks, the WaitMate website offers accessible, practical resources tailored to Australian families. WaitMate also provides a pledge function, allowing parents to sign an online commitment not to give their child a smartphone until at least high school – note, parents can choose different ages when making a pledge; once 10 families in the same year group sign, the pledge activates and parents are connected via a shared email group for mutual support. This connection helps reduce peer pressure by showing children they’re not the “only ones” without a smartphone, while giving parents a supportive community to stay aligned.

By staying informed and working together, we can help our young people build resilience, feel heard, and move through the digital world with greater confidence and safety.

1. TechCrunch. These are the countries moving to ban social media for children. (17 Feb 2026). [techcrunch.com] 
2. Haidt, J., & Rausch, Z. Social Media Is Harming Young People at a Scale Large Enough to Cause Changes at the Population Level. World Happiness Report 2026 essay draft. (14 Jan 2026). [anxiousgen...ration.com] 
3. “I am a 15-year-old girl. Let me show you the vile misogyny that confronts me on social media every day.” The Guardian. (23 Feb 2026). [theguardian.com]