In this 5-part Tech Mirror mini-series, Australia vs Social Media, we’re exploring Australia's world first online safety experiment. Across five episodes, we’ll unpack the new social media minimum age restriction law, examine the harms it seeks to prevent, consider the controversy surrounding its passage through parliament in November 2024, and try to demystify what will happen on 10th December when it comes into effect.

In this first episode, we’re going to go back to the beginning and dig into the research – and different perspectives - on the harms caused to young people by their use of social media platforms. Why are the experts divided? And does the evidence back-up the concerns of parents and young people?

The series is narrated by Tech Policy Design Institute Executive Director, Johanna Weaver. This episode features expert interviews with Professor Jonathan Haidt (social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation), clinical psychologist Dr Danielle Einstein, Professor Amanda Third (co-director of the Young and Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University), Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, and Minh Hoang, member of the eSafety Youth Council.

Links:

Tech Policy Design Institute https://techpolicy.au

Jonathan Haidt https://jonathanhaidt.com/

The Anxious Generation https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-anxious-generation-9781802063271

Danielle Einstein https://www.danielleeinstein.com/

Amanda Third https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/young-and-resilient/people/directors/amanda_third

Julie Inman Grant https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/about-the-commissioner

ABC News Breakfast (29 November 2024): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niaeYxdlvkw

'For the good of...' Australian Government Social media minimum age TV advertisement https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions/campaign

Australian Child Rights Taskforce open letter (October 2024) https://au.reset.tech/news/open-letter-about-social-media-bans/

Office of the eSafety Commissioner’s research findings summary: Social Media Minimum Age campaign (September 2025) https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions/campaign#research-findings-summary--social-media-minimum-age-campaign

YouGov poll (November 2024) Support for under-16 social media ban soars to 77% among Australians https://au.yougov.com/politics/articles/51000-support-for-under-16-social-media-ban-soars-to-77-among-australians

Credits

Written and narrated by Johanna Weaver, Executive Director, Tech Policy Design Institute.

Produced by Olivia O’Flynn & Kate Montague, Audiocraft.

Research by Amy Denmede.

Original music by Thalia Skopellos.

Created on the lands of the Ngunnawal, Ngambri people and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.

Special thanks to all the team at the Tech Policy Design Institute, without whom the pod would not be possible, especially Zoe Hawkins, Meredith Hodgman, and Dorina Wittmann.

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