Teen news chief slams Australia’s social media ban

Leo Puglisi, 17, is uniquely placed to judge the new law — he founded the nation’s only teen-run news streaming platform.

From his bedroom at his parents’ home in Melbourne, Puglisi began uploading local news videos to the 6 News YouTube channel in 2019.

Fast forward five years, the channel broadcasts an hourly bulletin and has 29,600 subscribers, with another 40,700 subscribed to X.

He has a team of 10 reporters ranging in age from 15 to teenagers.

So the new law could become a problem for news work.

Legislation approved by parliament on Thursday would require social media companies to take “reasonable measures” to prevent under-16s from creating accounts.

Because it will go into effect in a year, it’s “a really bad idea,” Puglisi said.

So far, the law has few details on how the law will be implemented, raising concerns among experts that it will be largely symbolic.

Social media companies that do not comply with the ban face fines of up to A$50 million (US$32.5 million) for “systemic violations.”

Many 6 News viewers interact with the channel through social media, he said, so the ban could make things “really difficult”.

“We will continue”

Puglisi said it was impossible to know how the ban would affect his team, some of whom are under the age of 16, who use X to communicate and post content on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.

But no matter what happens, “6 News is definitely not going anywhere,” he said.

Puglisi said he was concerned about the speed with which the law was passed, limited information about which platforms would be banned and an apparent “misunderstanding of social media.”

While he supports improving online safety, Puglisi stressed that social media sites also provide opportunities for young people to “explore their passions.”

“If this ban had been put in place a few years ago, 6 News wouldn’t exist at all, which I personally think is a real shame,” he said. AFP.

Experts warn that the ban could push young people into dangerous and unregulated parts of the internet.

Griffith University social media expert Susan Grantham said the government had opted for a “quick fix”.

“When they turn 16, they have the right to get an account with no education, no guidance, no one to hold their hand through understanding what may or may not be a good decision on these platforms,” ​​she said. .

Instead, the government could opt for improved education or a regulatory framework that prevents children from accessing harmful content, the expert said.

According to Grantham, young people join online communities to follow interests and hobbies, and giving up can be “detrimental” to their mental health.

But others said the ban was the right choice.

Body image expert Catherine Houlihan from the University of the Sunshine Coast said adolescence was fundamental for “identity and brain development”.

“Banning social media for this age group and younger is an important step towards protecting young people’s mental health,” she said.