As Australia prepares to implement new social media age restrictions from December 2025, young people are urging policymakers to prioritise their mental health. For many, social media is more than a digital pastime—it’s a vital space for connection, identity, and wellbeing.
In ARACY’s Young and Wise Social Media and mental health Online Roundtable, participants recognised that age restrictions could reduce exposure to harmful content and pressure, potentially improving mental health. At the same time, they highlighted key risks. Social media is often the only space where young people feel safe discussing mental health or seeking peer support.
- Social media is a lifeline – young people use it to connect, be anonymous, express identity, and find community, especially in marginalised groups.
- Offline conversations are hard – many lack confidence to talk face-to-face about mental health, preferring anonymous online spaces.
- Formal supports feel unapproachable – some mental health services were seen by participants as hard to access, judgemental or irrelevant.
- Young people want safer digital spaces – they called for curated, age-appropriate platforms that protect without isolating.
- Education empowers – schools should teach digital and mental health literacy to help young people engage online responsibly. “like sex Ed”
- Co-design is essential – young people want to shape the supports and messaging meant for them, not just receive them.
We thank the young people who generously shared their time, insights, and lived experiences to shape this important conversation.
ARACY’s Young and Wise Roundtables are supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care under the Health Peak and Advisory Bodies Program.
