Canberra (Australia): Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that in order to keep children safe, the country plans to introduce legislation setting a minimum age for using social media.

Albanese said it was about supporting parents and keeping children safe. In a post on X, he said: “We will establish a minimum age for social media to keep children safe.”

He added: “Parents tell me they are concerned about the age at which their children should be using social media. This term of Parliament we will bring forward legislation to enforce a minimum age for using social media and other digital platforms. This is about supporting parents and keeping children safe.”

Last August 21, in a national survey on children’s health conducted by the University of Michigan Health CS Mott Children’s Hospital, more than half of parents rated mental health problems as the most important health concern for their children and teens.

Overall, mental health and technology use topped the list of parents’ top ten concerns about their children’s health in the United States, surpassing childhood obesity, which parents rated as the most important health issue for children a decade ago.

“Parents still see issues that directly impact physical health, including unhealthy eating and obesity, as important health concerns for children. However, these have been overshadowed by concerns about mental health, social media and screen time,” said Mott Poll co-director and Mott pediatrician Susan Woolford, MD, MPH.

Two-thirds of parents are concerned about their children spending more time on electronic devices, including overall screen time and social media use. This issue ranked first and second on the list of children’s biggest health concerns this year, according to a nationally representative survey.

“Children are using digital devices and social media at increasingly younger ages, and parents can struggle to adequately monitor their use to prevent negative impacts on safety, self-esteem, social connections and habits that can disrupt sleep and other areas of health,” Woolford said.

(OR)