Australia’s Social Media Age Limit: A “Seatbelt Moment” or a Missed Opportunity for a Nuanced Approach?
July 17, 2025
Growing concerns about social media’s impact on self-harm, suicide-related behaviors, and youth mental health more broadly have led several countries to strengthen their online safety laws.
In this editorial, co-authored by Vicki Harrison, Program Director of the Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing and a #GoodforMEdia founding member, the authors review Australia’s proposed social media ban. They examine its potential harms and benefits for young people and recommend a path forward, proposing a three-part framework for online safety and suicide prevention that balances policy and regulation, platform responsibility, and education.