My Preteen Keeps Asking About Online Chats. Now I Can Simply Respond With 'It's Against the Law' in Australia.

Throughout this year, my 11-year-old daughter has been persistently requesting to join Messenger Kids.

Although I consistently had valid reasons to deny her request, for her, it seemed like an innocent way to stay connected with friends. Her argument being, what's the risk? I've attempted to illustrate how one app use can lead to others, and how quickly kids her age can grow reliant on these digital platforms.

Australia's recent implementation of a ban on certain social media platforms for those under the age of 16 has now provided me with a solid reason: it is legally prohibited.

A New Tool for Parents to Refuse Social Media Access

Interestingly, Messenger Kids isn't currently prohibited under this new law—although Facebook, its parent platform, is. Nevertheless, this ban offers parents like myself a fresh justification that validates our choice to restrict access.

As someone who leads editorial projects at a media and communications firm in Australia, I am no stranger to social media's role in today's world. It plays a critical role in my professional life, and I appreciate its potential benefits.

However, we all acknowledge that these platforms are designed to hook users, with children being no exception, prompting endless scrolling. Growing evidence links this usage with deteriorating mental health and even adverse cognitive development effects.

I worried that peer pressure might overrule my authority to restrict social media use—a challenge I'm hopeful the ban will ease.

Real-Life Interactions Over Virtual Ones for My Kids

I have two children, aged 11 and 8, and I am keen to steer them away from the habitual use of social media for social interactions. My preference lies in them meeting their friends face-to-face or conversing over a phone call, instead of becoming inadvertent targets for advertisers.

Occasionally, they use my WhatsApp for video chats with family and sometimes join their mother in viewing Instagram videos. However, I believe most social interactions in their peers' circles should occur through in-person meetings, whether at school or around our neighborhood.

Residing on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, offers my family an advantage with its conducive climate for a vibrant outdoor lifestyle, making it simple for my children to roam freely to nearby parks or friends' houses without constant adult oversight.

The new social media ban is well-received among fellow parents I discuss this with, marking a significant shift in managing our children's social media engagement.

Eliminating social media from their routine translates into reduced screen exposure, which I find favorable. Less screen time entails less passive content consumption and a boost in active, imaginative play. Admittedly, my children may experience boredom, but after a while, they discover innovative and engaging activities on their own.

For instance, my kids recently spent over an hour protesting the TV shutdown. Yet, afterward, they independently decided to create a play, complete with a script, practice sessions, costumes, and a performance.

Such initiatives would never have materialized if they were glued to screens.