At what age should the potential "life worm", that is social media, be able to infiltrate our time, our lifestyle and influence our opinions?  

Communication tool, coordination tool, information tool or platform of opinion and diatribe to a hypnotic marketing weapon commanding your attention… The good comes with the bad. Our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is addressing the issue in children.

With the aim of providing a nationwide voice on how and when the youth of Australia gain access to social media, Mr Albanese has called for an age assurance trial to research the best outcome for kids. Children at the age of 14 to 16 are under the microscope.

“We know social media is causing social harm, and it is taking kids away from real friends and real experiences,” said Mr Albanese. 

The Lismore App took to the streets to see what the people of Lismore thought.

Corey from Wyrallah has young children. He has only just started thinking of the impact social media might have on them, but from his own experience growing up, he sees red flags, “It’s definitely a concern. Bullying was bad enough when I was at school, let alone being able to sit behind a keyboard and call people whatever you want.

“It wouldn't be a bad idea to have some kind of licence. You prove that you're responsible enough to use it. You need a licence to drive a car, as you’ve got to prove that you can drive it safely.”

Molly from Lismore says, “I think that young girls don't know who they're texting. My cousin, she's got heaps of followers on TikTok, and she doesn't know any of them, but she thinks they're friends. So I think it's a good idea, but I just don't think it'll work. I think there'll be loopholes around it.”

Harry looks at it from a developmental viewpoint, “I think when kids are a certain age, they need to be able to develop their own imagination, their own way of finding things out, and have time to use those skills. Constantly going to a phone, we could be potentially losing that part of our skill set.

“That natural curiosity and fulfilment by going out and finding out yourself and learning the hard way about stuff before constantly Googling or YouTube. 

“I think it's just a tool that needs to be used in a safe space with a bit of responsibility.”

Aussie thinks it's a great idea to have a minimum age restriction, “Because of the stupid things you post online. A 13-year-old can post some dumb things that they will regret probably in six months' time.”

Rebecca, who has spent 10 years in Lismore says, “It's never great to restrict people from access to things, especially socials, because it keeps you informed or connect with one another. 

“But on the other hand, social media is not always the best for adults, even. It can be quite a toxic place of misinformation. So honestly, I'm kind of a bit undecided about it.”

Ben, who works in Lismore, said, “I have younger kids, and I think it's perfect to limit them until they get a bit older.”

What do Ben's kids think about it. 

“I haven't talked to them yet, but they probably won't be happy. If the government makes it a law to push it back, perfect. I think young kids haven't got the mind developed at a young age to be dealing with it all.

“Wasting time on social media is a bad habit. We do it as adults. It’s the last thing you want to do when you are a kid because habits develop at a very early age. Developing bad habits at 12 or 13, it's hard to kick them.”

Rebekkah says, “As a mum of two boys when they were younger, they wanted to be on socials. We had the rule of no social media until they turned 16 ... sadly one of them was bullied because he wasn't on socials. So, yes, having a blanket age takes the pressure off the kids... and their parents.”

Kristin has a different perspective, “It's the way they connect and talk, and it's a really different way of communicating. I understand there are harms, but it's not all harmful.

“I think a real issue is mental health and the lack of resources and support for young people that need support, particularly in regional and rural Australia.

“I think the fear that I have around this is criminalising young people for wanting to communicate. Yeah, so it's not a good message.

“I would love to see the resources that might be getting put into this, into better support for mental health for young people, because we are an epidemic. And I don't think social media is the root cause. I think it just exacerbates it.”

Zane, a teacher with over 20 years of experience working with children, lends further insight into the intricacies of the topic, “This is such a complex issue. Social media plays a significant role in the lives of our children, but it is often not the positive experience it should be. 

“There is a lot of scope for harm, whether it be deliberate harassment, accidental misunderstandings in written communication, the inability to disconnect or accessing inappropriate material.

“Hard bans are difficult to enforce and can result in a problem becoming hidden. I believe children under 12 should not be accessing social media or should only be able to use messaging apps with strict parental control. 

“Children aged between 13 and 16 should have restricted access that parents can monitor. The danger I see is that apps such as Snapchat, which is the preferred communication platform for high school students, do not have any parental control, and parents can't see previous messages. 

“Appropriate parental control and monitoring set up the ability for children and young people to be educated and supported as they navigate into the world of social media.”

The age trial is designed to take all of these issues into account and more.

Mr Albanese is firm that the legislation be introduced by the end of the year, “We’re supporting parents and keeping kids safe with this action, because enough is enough.”