In a landmark move to safeguard the mental health of children, the Australian government has passed legislation that bans individuals under the age of 16 from using social media. This unprecedented law, set to take effect next year, is the strictest in the world, with no provisions for parental consent. It aims to protect young people from the negative impacts of platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, and surpasses similar efforts in the United Kingdom and the United States.
The rationale behind this sweeping policy is rooted in mounting evidence suggesting that social media use is a major contributor to declining mental health. Australian psychiatrist Christian Heim, who has long advocated for protecting young brains from the harmful effects of excessive screen time, believes the new law could ease his future work with children and adolescents struggling with mental health issues.
The Evidence Behind the Ban
The relationship between social media use and mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and addiction, is widely debated. While critics argue that social media may only be correlated with mental health decline rather than causally linked, Heim points to numerous studies suggesting that the link is far from coincidental. Mental health deteriorates as social media use increases, but so do a range of other societal factors like divorce rates, substance abuse, and income inequality.
However, one critical issue that cannot be ignored is addiction. Social media’s addictive nature has been well-documented, with young users often spending excessive hours scrolling, comparing themselves to others, and confronting unrealistic expectations. Depression and anxiety rates have surged, particularly among children, and cyberbullying—amplified by the anonymity of online platforms—has led to tragic outcomes, including a sharp rise in suicides among young people in the US and Australia.
Heim argues that while screens themselves aren’t inherently harmful, the dangers lie in social media’s ability to foster harmful comparisons, bullying, sexual exploitation, and other forms of exploitation. Excessive social media use leads to dopamine depletion and an overall sense of dissatisfaction, which erodes self-esteem and contributes to a cycle of loneliness and social isolation.
The Neuroscience of Social Media’s Impact
For a deeper understanding of how social media impacts young people, Heim references a pivotal 2018 study led by Christian Montag, which found a direct link between social media use and shrinkage of the brain’s anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG)—the region responsible for empathy. Montag’s research indicated a “dose-response” relationship: the more a person uses social media, the greater the shrinkage of this brain area. This finding mirrors the well-established links between smoking and diseases like cancer and heart disease.
The ACG plays a vital role in socialization and empathy. When it shrinks, so does the capacity for genuine human connection. Young people today, according to Heim, are increasingly disconnected from real-life interactions, opting for predictable online engagements instead of spontaneous socialization at parties or in-person encounters. This erosion of empathy, he suggests, is contributing to a host of mental health issues, from anxiety to depression to suicidal tendencies.
A Vicious Cycle
The lack of meaningful relationships exacerbates mental health problems. Social isolation, often compounded by excessive screen time, can lead to anxiety, depression, and a heightened risk of suicide. Rather than seeking support from friends and family, many adolescents turn to social media, which only deepens their feelings of loneliness.
Heim believes that Australia’s decision to ban under-16-year-olds from social media could help break this damaging cycle. He also notes that similar recommendations are being made by global health organizations: the World Health Organization advises no screen time for babies under one year old, and limited screen time for children up to the age of five, to support healthy brain development.
The Road Ahead
While there is no conclusive evidence showing that social media use can benefit children, the overwhelming body of research points to its detrimental effects on young minds. As a psychiatrist, Heim emphasizes that the scientific evidence supports the idea that social media use hampers brain development, decreases empathy, and disrupts relationships—factors that contribute directly to the decline in mental health.
In Australia, the new social media legislation marks a significant step forward in protecting children’s well-being. Heim advocates for similar measures worldwide, and points to the United States’ proposed Kids’ Online Safety Act (KOSA) as a critical next step in the effort to address this global mental health crisis.
As nations continue to grapple with the growing mental health crisis among children and adolescents, Australia’s bold move stands as a strong example of how policy can be used to protect young people’s mental health from the damaging effects of social media. The evidence is clear: protecting children from social media may not just be a matter of convenience—it could be a matter of life or death.
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