The Australian legislation, pushed through Parliament with 33 other bills on the last sitting day, has sparked debate due to its rapid approval and limited public consultation.
While proponents argue the ban addresses mental health issues linked to excessive social media use, critics, including cybersecurity experts, warn of potential unintended consequences, such as driving young users to unregulated platforms.
Concerns also extend to the single-day consultation period, which saw 15,000 responses, indicating the community’s deep interest in the issue.
Craig Ford, co-founder of Cyber Unicorns, joined to discuss the controversial legislation.
He advocated embedding robust cyber education in schools as a more sustainable solution, highlighting the need to foster digital literacy among young Australians.
