MPs want social media treated more like unsafe toys than harmless apps

"“There is now strong and consistent evidence linking social media use to harms affecting young people. No action is not an option.”"

"“The status quo, where social media companies are neither accountable nor responsible for preventing harms, isn't acceptable. If any other consumer product caused these harms, it would've been recalled or changed.”"

"“The committee said it heard evidence from clinicians, bereaved parents, academics, child safety groups, and experts studying Australia's social media age limits, as well as accounts from young people and families concerned about harmful content and the effect social media is having on children's wellbeing.”"

"“While the MPs stopped short of explicitly endorsing a blanket social media ban for teenagers, the letter makes clear the committee thinks ministers have spent too long relying on voluntary action from platforms whose business models still reward engagement above pretty much everything else.”"

A parliamentary committee urged ministers to strengthen online safety laws, citing strong and consistent evidence that social media use harms young people. The committee warned that the current regime fails children and leaves social media companies able to expand youth user bases without meaningful responsibility for resulting harm. It argued that voluntary platform action is insufficient because business models reward engagement. The committee said the status quo is unacceptable and compared it to consumer products that would be recalled or changed after causing similar harms. It also called for properly enforcing existing age restrictions using effective privacy-preserving measures, while stopping short of endorsing a blanket ban for teenagers.

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