Social Media Ban: Creating online safety for your son

Healthy digital habits

From 10 December 2025, new Australian Government legislation will prohibit children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts on most social media platforms.

The aim of the legislation is to delay early social media use and protect young people from potential online harms such as:

  • Excessive screen time
  • Increased likelihood of exposure to negative or harmful content
  • Reduced wellbeing including anxiety, stress, poor sleep, difficulties concentrating
  • Negative social interactions including bullying
  • Family conflict
  • Privacy concerns

This delay provides families with valuable time to help children build digital, social and emotional skills before entering the online space.

Parents can use this opportunity to reinforce healthy online habits and responsible digital behaviour.

Supporting Your Child Through the Change

As access restrictions take effect, your son may experience:

  • Irritability, restlessness, or mood swings
  • Increased anxiety or boredom
  • Social withdrawal or disrupted sleep
  • Attempts to regain access to platforms

It’s normal to have mixed feelings about these changes and their impact on your son’s wellbeing. The following steps can help your family prepare for the change:

  1. Prepare yourself
    Understand what’s changing and why via the eSafety Commissioner’s guide.
  2. Start open-ended and ongoing conversations
    Talk with your son about social media use, how he feels about the upcoming changes, and how he can prepare.
  3. Listen with empathy
    Be open, calm and non-judgemental. Acknowledge that this may be difficult and validate his emotions. It’s normal for him to feel a wide range of emotions during periods of change.
  4. Map his digital world
    Help your son identify the accounts, friends, communities, and services he uses most and may lose access to.
  5. Find alternative ways to connect
    Encourage in-person catch-ups, phone calls, text messages, or age-appropriate messaging and gaming platforms that aren’t affected by the new restrictions.
  6. Explore new interests.
    Look for age-appropriate sites, apps, and offline activities that let your son stay connected and pursue their interests – especially if he currently uses social media for support services.
  7. Preserve digital memories
    Help your son save his favourite posts, photos, chats, or contacts from platforms he will lose access to.
  8. Model healthy digital habits as a family
    Gradually reduce social media use together to make the transition smoother:
    a. Mute unnecessary notifications
    b. Set screen limits and use parental controls
    c. Implement routines that promote a healthy balance between online and offline activities such as screen breaks, device-free times and screen-free zones
    d. Encourage offline activities such as exercise, time in nature, hobbies, creative projects, or time with friends in person

If your son continues to struggle with this adjustment, consider seeking support from your GP, paediatrician, psychologist, or our school counselling team.

Matt Oswald and Christine Fay
Secondary School Psychologists

 

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