Social Media Ban
How are you supporting your community with the impending social media ban?
Australia’s world-first social media ban for all children under the age of 16 will take effect on 10 December. The ban applies to all platforms that meet the Federal Government’s definition of an ‘age-restricted social media platform’, which has the purpose of enabling social interaction with two or more users, and which allows users to post material on the service.
Platforms affected by the ban include YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and X. Some messaging apps such as Messenger Kids, WhatsApp and Google Classroom will not be age-restricted.
Children who have previously had accounts with the age-restricted platforms will have their accounts deactivated. This may come as a shock for those who are unaware or unprepared, especially in light of the identity and social connection some children gain from these platforms.
What are you doing to understand what this means for your community and how it might impact your students? And how are you supporting your community to understand and prepare for the ban?
Two organisations released articles just this morning, which might be suitable for your learning community to ponder.
The Educator released an article that provides valuable information about how the ban might influence what happens in the school setting. What changes will you make to your policies around the use of social media platforms by teachers and support staff in classrooms, as a result of the social media ban?
The Conversation released an article in support of parents, and which might be suitable for your learning community’s communications platforms (newsletter, social media, etc) as just one form of support for families. How are you assisting your families to understand the ban, knowing that what happens in the family home will likely impact school operations?
What you do as learning community leaders to ongoingly inform and support staff, parents and students in this transition, will set your community in good stead for what lies ahead.
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