CANBERRA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- With under six months until Australia enforces strict social media age limits, experts emphasize the crucial role of parental guidance in online safety.
Parents and schools must keep discussing privacy, digital behavior, and risks like bullying, grooming, sexting, and artificial intelligence deepfakes with children, University of South Australia (UniSA) Associate Professor Lesley-Anne Ey said Tuesday, quoted by a UniSA statement.
From Dec. 10, 2025, platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, Snapchat, and YouTube must take "reasonable steps" to block users under 16 in Australia, aiming to protect children from harmful content.
However, Ey said legislation alone isn't enough, adding that digital literacy, not just warnings or delayed access, is vital for safety.
"Because children's brains are still developing, they often act on impulse without considering the consequences," she said, adding that children tend to take risks assuming they're safe, but they aren't, so they need protective strategies.
Ey said age-appropriate tools, trained parents and teachers, and open communication for support are required to allow children to "thrive safely in a digital world that will only keep growing." ■
