Here Luke Robinson, chief marketing officer of WeAre8, explains that while the proposal to raise the age of social media citizenship in Australia is noble, it does not fix the problem that he thinks lies at the heart of social media.
In response to the growing mental health crisis among today’s youth, the Australian government has signalled its intent to raise the minimum age for social media use.
The logic is simple: by limiting access, we protect younger generations from the harmful effects of social media. Yet, this approach seems to suggest that exposure to addictive algorithms and often toxic, shocking, or hateful content is only impacting younger Australians. It’s not. These platforms affect all of us, regardless of age. By raising the age limit, are we merely kicking the can down the road instead of tackling the root of the problem?
The latest quarterly brand trust survey from Roy Morgan, released this week, paints a clear picture of how we all feel about mainstream social media. According to the 2,000 Australians surveyed from a cross-section of society, some of the most powerful players in social media are deemed some of the most distrusted brands in the country.
The recurring presence of mainstream social platforms in this survey highlights the significance of the problem, and our ongoing love-hate relationship with them, regardless of our age.
Yes, youth mental health is facing a crisis, with four in 10 Australians aged 16–24 suffering some form of mental health distress with experts drawing a link with the use of social media. This issue is particularly acute among younger people, with the Butterfly Foundation’s Body Kind Youth Survey only recently sharing new stats that show nearly two-thirds (61.7 per cent) of Australians aged 12-18 report feeling dissatisfied with their bodies because of social media, up from just 12 per cent in 2022.
However, social media’s impact extends beyond the younger generation, with research from the Black Dog Institute showing that increased mainstream social media use has been linked with higher rates of depression and anxiety across all age groups. We are now seeing one in four women aged 45+ say it negatively affects their self-esteem and 40 per cent of those aged 55+ admit to feeling overwhelmed by the constant stream of negative content.
While raising the minimum age for users might provide a temporary buffer, it doesn’t address the more insidious issue that we all face: what is actually happening behind the login screens of these platforms.
We are living in an era where algorithms are designed to maximise engagement and profits, often at the expense of our mental health. Platforms that are, with every swipe and scroll, turning us into the largest unpaid workforce in human history, irrespective of our age. Instead of focusing just on age restrictions, we need to direct our attention toward holding platforms to account when it comes to the way they design their tech.
What would social media look like if the algorithms were designed to prioritise wellbeing? What if the goal was to foster meaningful interactions instead of endless scrolling, would we become more mindful of our online choices rather than being passively pulled in? These are the questions we ask and the approach we have taken at WeAre8, to build a healthier construct that serves the people, not big tech.
No matter what age we start, mainstream social media is designed to profit from our attention, often at the cost of our mental health. Perhaps the answer isn’t in delaying access; it’s about exploring alternatives that aren’t so damaging.
Luke Robinson is the chief marketing officer of WeAre8
