South Australian Government announces a legal examination into banning children under the age of 14 from having social media accounts.

via media release

The nation-leading move comes amid mounting concern among experts and the community more broadly about the adverse impact of social media on children, including exposure to inappropriate, illegal and restricted content, cyber bullying and negative impacts on children’s mental health and development.

As one of the nation’s pre-eminent legal minds, Robert French has been tasked with examining the legal, regulatory and technological pathways for the State Government to impose a ban, while also giving due consideration to the constitutional framework.

In addition to imposing a ban on all children under the age of 14 having access to a social media account, South Australia would also require parental consent for children aged 14 and 15.

The changes would be the first of their type in Australia but would follow a growing number of global jurisdictions banning social media access for children.