Two months after the social media minimum age laws began, millions of students across the country are adapting to a new social life off social.
This month marks the first school term since eSafety reported 4.7 million accounts were removed or deleted in the first days of the changes.
As students, families and educators adapt to the new law, parenting expert and mum of teens, Rachel Schofield, recognises it can be a hard time of transition.
Rachel’s advice for families navigating the first term without social media include:
● Build bridges to connection: Help teens find safer ways to stay in touch, such as phone calls, or messaging. Use the time previously spent scrolling to prioritise face-to-face connections – like sports or creative classes – that build real world social confidence.
● Be the emotional anchor: It is normal for teens to feel a sense of loss or frustration. Don’t feel the need to ‘fix’ their mood or apologise for the age restrictions. By staying steady and empathising with their feelings, you show them they are resilient enough to handle the change.
● Lead with relationship, not enforcement: Because the law shifts the burden of enforcement to the platforms, parents are free to step out of the ‘policing’ role and into a coaching role, providing compassionate guidance as teens adapt.
● Understand the why: Educate yourself on the developmental science. Knowing that this digital pause allows the brain to build vital filters against persistent algorithms and social pressure helps parents lead with conviction rather than guilt.
● Model the behaviour: This is a transition for the whole family. Use this milestone to reset your own tech habits, modelling a healthy balance between online utility and offline wellbeing.
● Report users to the platform: If you find your teen still has access to restricted platforms, you can report non-compliance directly to the platforms via links provided at https://www.esafety.gov.au/
