The State Government will work with South Australia and the Commonwealth to introduce minimum age limits for social media.
The Commonwealth announced earlier this month a plan to deliver social media age limits through national legislation, with further details on age limits and definitions to be determined through national-level consultation.
Over the coming months, Victoria will also lead a consultation round with parents, schools, and children to ensure their circumstances and diverse needs are considered during the development of the national reforms.
The state will share findings with the Commonwealth following its consultation process, to be coordinated by Parliamentary Secretary for Children Nathan Lambert and Parliamentary Secretary for Education Nina Taylor.
Victoria points to the model outlined by the Honourable Robert French AC in his legal examination prepared for the South Australian Government.
Under this model, social media access would be prohibited for children aged under 14, while parental consent would be required for children aged 14–15 to access social media. The model also proposed options for legal enforcement.
A mechanism would be provided for some social media services to be exempt if they show little risk and support healthy development, such as educational sites or programs designed for diverse learners.
Premier Jacinta Allan said it was time for a change in protecting children online.
“It’s absolutely time for change. There are benefits to social media, but for children, the harm outweighs the good,” she said.
“The voices of parents, schools, and kids must be heard as we shape these reforms— we’ll make sure of that.”
