From the Principal

Why YouTube and Other Social Media Platforms Will Soon Have an Age Limit

The online world our children inhabit has changed dramatically in recent years. Social media platforms, particularly YouTube, are no longer just for sharing harmless videos. Increasingly, they expose young users to harmful content: violent and misogynistic material which represent dangerous online experiences.

A new Australian survey of over 2,600 children aged 10 – 15 years found that 96% have used at least one social media platform, and almost 70% have encountered harmful material. YouTube was the most commonly cited source, with nearly 40% of children seeing harmful content there. More troublingly, 1 in 7 children reported experiencing grooming-like behaviour online.

These findings have driven the Albanese Government’s Social Media Age Restriction Act, which will require platforms to take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-16s from creating accounts. This is not a ban on children using the internet – it’s a delay, allowing them more time to develop digital literacy and resilience levels before entering environments designed for adults.

Importantly, there will be no penalties for children or parents; the responsibility lies with the platforms themselves, with fines of up to $49.5 million per breach. The aim is to shift the burden from parents back to the ‘big tech’ companies, ensuring safety measures are built-in from the start.

This change is much like Australia’s approach to water safety: we cannot fence off the ocean but we can teach children to swim between the flags. Likewise, we cannot remove every online risk but we can better equip our children to safely navigate the digital world.

We, at Trinity, are fully supportive of moves to restrict access to social medias that use algorithms designed to promote excessive use or access to inappropriate content. 

Parents are encouraged to start conversations now about these upcoming rules, explore safety resources at esafety.gov.au, and help children prepare for a healthier relationship with social media when the time comes.