Isolation risks of Australia's social media ban for regional, rural and remote boarding school students
Anabell Bowey will have her social media platforms deactivated for just over two months until she turns 16. (Supplied)
In short:
The new restrictions around social media come into force around Australia over the school holidays.
The timing of the ban has boarding schools trying to help students from geographically isolated locations from being socially isolated.
What's next:
The Australian Boarding Schools Association says isolated young people will need to be supported to stay in contact with their friends once they are cut off from social media channels.
The timing of the national social media ban for children under age 16 has left boarding schools scrambling for ways to help their students navigate being cut off from their friends as the new restrictions come into force over the school holidays.
Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA) members have discussed the implications of the ban, being introduced by the federal government to protect young people from online risks of harmful content.
Chief executive officer Richard Stokes said the association's 201 boarding houses already practised mobile phone restrictions with phones taken off students overnight to help with sleep.
The initial impact of the ban will be felt in mid-December when 76 per cent of Australia's 21,000 boarders head home for the summer holidays — with about 12,460 boarders in year 10 and below cut off from social media.
Australian Boarding Schools Association chief executive Richard Stokes. (Supplied)
"I think the timing, it hasn't been thought of well, because the 10th of December is when kids are going home from school, they're on holidays," Mr Stokes said.
"We're a bit worried about that whole mental health issue in that space.
"They're away from all of their friends, so they can't even talk to them — they'll have to find ways to do it."
The laws will make companies potentially liable if they do not take steps to block young users' access to TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Reddit, X, YouTube, Kick and Twitch.
Staying connected while disconnected
Fifteen-year-old South Australian student Anabell Bowey lives in Lock, in central Eyre Peninsula, and boards an hour-and-a-half away in Port Lincoln.
She said most of her friends agreed the ban was a good step but it was inconvenient to have social media taken away until they were 16.
"It'll be good for a lot of these very younger ones because I know a lot of younger, maybe 10 year olds, who have social media who aren't particularly mature enough for that," Anabell said.
"There's definitely people who have had bad experiences with social media, and I think that the ban will bring those numbers down a lot.
"But everyone's sort of annoyed that, for our age group, that has birthdays a few months after the ban comes in."
While Anabell will only be subject to the ban for around two months due to her turning 16 in February next year, she and her friends have discussed how they will stay in touch over the holidays.
Boarding school student Anabell Bowey has exchanged phone numbers with friends to keep in contact over the school holidays when she is home at Lock. (Supplied)
"We're all going to swap numbers and stuff and still talk, but I know a lot of people who don't like using messenger," she said.
"I think it'll be a good experience to see how I cope without having social media.
"I might go to my grandma and grandpa's farm a lot more and do a lot more jobs around the house, hopefully, stuff like that."
Mr Stokes said there were good resources on the eSafety Commissioner's website about the social media ban but said today's teens needed to be taught how to stay connected with each other through alternative platforms.
From December 10 companies will be potentially liable if they do not take steps to block young users' access to social media apps. (ABC Eyre Peninsula: Jodie Hamilton)
"When I grew up, it was the phone in the middle of the house that Mum and Dad could listen to, no matter who I was talking to," Mr Stokes said.
"That's definitely not the life of a teenager today.
"We're going to have to actually teach them some of the skills to make sure that they can be in contact with their friends during the holidays.
"Otherwise they're going to be quite lonely."
Online decision could 'follow you years later'
Mother of four Kirsty Williams, from Peake Station on the Oodnadatta Track in outback South Australia, said only her eldest child had a mobile phone, as it was a requirement at her Adelaide boarding school.
But as parents they have not allowed her social media.
Lenny, George and Jack Williams have little need for mobile phones on their outback station, keeping busy outdoors after daily screen time for School of the Air. (Supplied: Kirsty Williams)
"My daughter is the only one without Snapchat and she's not part of the messages and she's asked a few times," Ms Williams said.
"Kids are not mentally mature enough for it [advertising and scrolling] and the uploading of photos can affect them down the future.
"A decision you make when you are 13 will still follow you 10 years later."
She said her children used the outdoors to fill their time.
"My three at home have enough screen time with school of the air, so they spend time on their motorbikes, playing cricket on the lawn or they find something to do."