Don't lock us out

18/9/2025

For young people, social media can mean community, learning and even survival.

By Oliver Jobe

I CAN’T remember the ﬁrst time I used social media, but I can remember some of my earliest moments on YouTube. I would have been in year 3 or 4, around 10 years old, but I remember how I felt as I watched random people cook and play video games.

I remember watching YouTubers who were fun and made me laugh, like Grian and Skeppy, or YouTubers who taught me something, like Tom Scott, MatPat, and Kurzgesagt, or YouTubers who would cover some random hyper ﬁxation I had, like Eddache, MKBHD, and No Rolls Barred.

You probably have no idea who any of these people are, or maybe you know one or two, but these are just a few of the people from all parts of the internet who shaped my early years online, all the way up to today. Those people gave me comfort in times of stress, they taught me things I never would have known otherwise, and they entertained me when I had some down time.

I remember talking about different series with friends at school, or the latest video posted by someone on YouTube, just like with TV and people talking about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Ben 10. In school we talked about video games and our favourite YouTubers. These YouTubers provided people with anything they needed.

So, why are we losing all that now?

The Australian Government wants to ban under 16s from social media. It’s scheduled to happen before the end of the year. This ban will restrict social media to 16-year-olds and older. You’ve heard my experience with social media – but what about the others?

I got Twitter when I was 14 and I very quickly found a community of like-minded people in Auspol (Australian Politics) Twitter. You ﬁnd people you can connect with, and you interact with each other, joke, have fun, and feel comfortable.

During my time in Auspol Twitter I interacted with some “characters”, people who disagreed with me or hated me for my speciﬁc political leanings. Sure it was annoying, but I also had fruitful and earnest interactions that led to political debate. If I hadn’t been able to join Twitter at 14 I would not have had those interactions – the bad but also the good.

There is another side of social media that’s even more important. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Reddit and Twitter provide safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ young people to affirm their identity and to express themselves. Queer people feel safe and thrive in these environments. If they are restricted and banned from those safe places, then there is a serious and likely danger of an increase in suicide amongst Australian queer youths.

As I reﬂect on my own experiences, I wonder if these laws will be repealed or whether our leaders will continue to ignore organisations like Suicide Prevention Australia who warn of the consequences.

Instead of locking us out of our own lives, why not focus on teaching online safety? Give parents and kids the tools to navigate social media wisely.

1 Comment

Rob Parsons

24/9/2025 02:06:26 pm

Oliver raises some heartfelt points about the role of social media in the lives of young people. His memories of YouTube, online communities, and finding connection are genuine, and I think most of us – even those of us who grew up before the internet – can understand the importance of belonging, learning, and laughter in those formative years.
Where I approach the issue differently is in how we balance those benefits with responsibility. Social media is powerful, but it is also unfiltered, commercialised, and often driven by algorithms that don’t always have a young person’s best interests at heart. That doesn’t mean banning it outright will work – young people will always find ways to connect – but it does mean we shouldn’t hand children over to Silicon Valley and hope for the best.
Oliver is right that young people need safe spaces, whether for friendship, hobbies, or identity. But those spaces should be built on trust, education, and resilience, not just access. Rather than treating social media like a right of passage, I’d prefer to see parents, schools, and communities equipped to guide kids through it – teaching critical thinking, digital literacy, and responsibility. We’ve all seen how online “debate” can quickly turn into abuse; preparing young people to handle that is just as important as ensuring they have the freedom to participate.
So yes, I respect Oliver’s personal story, and I don’t dismiss the good that comes from these platforms. But I remain cautious of government simply stepping back and leaving children to navigate these vast commercial spaces on their own. Social media should not replace real community, family support, or healthy debate face-to-face. That’s the balance I’d like to see: not a blanket ban, but also not a blind faith that “online” alone will keep kids safe, supported, and grounded.

Don't lock us out

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