Tag: Instagram

It’s one month before under – 16 social media ban

Image: Canva

Today is one month before the Australian Government bans children under sixteen from certain social media platforms.

According to Herald Sun, this is in response to increased tensions between the Government and social media giants over child safety. Last year, Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese claimed:

Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time put on it.

(“Australia’s world-first social media ban for under- 16s begins one month from today”, Mia Erickson, Herald Sun, 10 November 2025)

The platforms that will be forced to ban children under sixteen are:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Snapchat
  • YouTube
  • Threads
  • Kick
  • TikTok
  • Reddit

The Australian Government has emphasised that the burden for compliance will be placed on the (mostly American) social media companies, not parents.

How will the ban play out?

Image: Canva

Prime Minister Albanese has labeled the legislation “imperfect”. However, news outlets have been given general information on how this ban will play out.

According to ABC, the E – Safety Commissioner has put platforms on notice.

The platforms listed above will be labelled as ‘age – restricted’ platforms. They must take “reasonable steps” to ensure that children under sixteen aren’t creating accounts. Tech companies could face fines up to A$49.5 million if they fail to block underage accounts.

Platforms that are exempt from ban

Children under sixteen will not be banned from all social platforms. They will still be able to access:

  • Messenger
  • WhatsApp
  • YouTube Kids
  • Discord
  • GitHub
  • LEGO Play
  • Roblox
  • Steam
  • Steam Chat
  • Google Classroom

E – Safety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant has raised a major loophole in the current proposed legoslation. Children could simply go to other platforms, such as BlueSky, that are currently not listed. This means that the danger of cyber – bullying, exploitation, etc is still present.

We will continue to take a whole-of-ecosystem, but we want to reinforce that just because a service is excluded. it does not mean it is absolutely safe.

(“Which social media platforms will be forced to ban Australian users under the age of 16?”, Annabelke Bowles, ABC, 5 November, 2025)

Age – verification and ‘parent run’ accounts?

Credit where credit is due. I commend the Albanese Government for taking children’s online safety seriously enough to act on it. I think it comes from a good place. But it does have glaring holes.

First, how are the platforms going to verify age? Just ticking a box? Providing government identification documents when someone signs up? What does that do to a person’s privacy? How will identity documents be stored to avoid identity theft?

What about parents? Currently, platforms like Instagram and YouTube have thousands of accounts of underage influencers (who are under thirteen).

Family vloggers are notorious for exploiting underage children. Many of these children, such as H from Dougherty has her own Instagram account. She’s only seven. The accounts are ‘run by parent’.

Another child that has been disgustingly exploited on social media was E of Cole and Sav LaBrant. Josh Barbour from Dad Challenge Podcast exposed disturbing comments E got when she was around five – years – old.

This proves it’ll be tricky for the Australian Governmemt to enforce this ban. It’s not just banning children under sixteen. They’ll have to somehow outlaw fake accounts and ‘parent run’ accounts. We’ll have to see how far this will go.

What do you think of the social media ban? Do you thimk it’s needed and will work? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.

Former 7News reporter swears to not sharing her children on social media

Image: 5./15 West

Earlier this year, cricketer David Warner and his wife Candice admitted to posting their three daughters online. The daughers — all under the age of ten at the time— had their own public Instagram account. The Warners bragged that they amassed over 162,000 followers.

At the time, I wrote a post criticising their announcement. The harms of public social media for children isn’t a secret.

Fortunately, some public figures are determined to protect their children. They want their children remain out of the public eye.

Kendall Gilding vows to keep young children out of public eye

Last month, former 7News reporter wrote on QWeekend about children and social media. She opened with a chilling introduction:

I walked into a cafe recently, saw a toddler and immediately thought, “Hey I know you!” Except I didn’t. “No, it must be your mum I know.”. Except I didn’t.

In some cases, this could be the start of a parasocial relationship. Parasocial relationships are relationships that are one – sided. Parasocial relationships are often sparked by the adoration a fan has for a celebrity.

More and more, this is extending to social media influencers and vloggers.

Luckily, Gilding knew the boundaries. She knew she didn’t know the baby or the mother who she’d seen on social media. She didn’t fantasise about the child being hers, or being close to her in some way.

This awareness spurred on Gilding to make an important decision.

Gilding claims she won’t share images of her children on social media

Gilding admitted that her son and daughter had been featured in magazines, newspapers and Instagram. However, she’s never been comfortable posting her children on Instagram.

She claims she’s very protective of her daughter, who was born through IVF after years of infertility. Instead of sharing her daughter’s face on Instagram, she opted to sharing her baby’s hand.

Who is following the children?

YouTuber, Josh Barbour has campaigned against family vloggers and kid influencers since 2020.

His main argument has always been that children can’t give informed consent having their lives publicly displayed on social media.

He’s also exposed who most often interacts with child influencers online — especially girls. And he’s found that a large percentage of millions of interactions are made by adult men. Everleigh Labrant/ Smith is a troubling example.

Not only are adult men seeking young girls’ conternt, they often make inappropriate comments.

Arttificial Intelligence (AI) and the Dark Web are other dangers that child influencers are exposed to. Children’s voices and images can be used in child abuse material.

Yes, ot’s dark and sick, But this is what parents need to grapple with in 2024.

It boils down to this: do you want to protect your children or not?

This is the heart of the issue, isn’t it? Do you want to protect your (or anyone’s) children or don’t you? Do you care about the safety of your children?

Naturally, most parents — most adults — want to protect children. But the rise of family vloggers and kid influencers proves that not all adults do. Especially when money i# involved.

Posting children’s images and identities on public social media isn’t safe. Remember I mentioned parasocial relationships earlier? They can be toxic. ‘Fans’ can suddenly turn on their former idols.

Parasocial relationships can become obsessive. This can make an influencer uneasy. And, at it’s worst, if a fan becomes obsessed and realises where an influencer lives, it can become dangerous. Children shouldn’t be exposed to that.

What do you think? Should parents stop posting their children on public social media? Should it be outlawed? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Using social media and blogging for change: Influencer advocates for people with a disability

Image: Canva

Want a light – hearted story?

Peta Hooke is a social media influencer.

People may look at the terms ‘social media influencer’ and have certain ideas. Chances are, Peta Hooke doesn’t fit those ideas.

She has cerebral palsy and uses a an electric wheelchair.

Hooke uses Instagram to advocate for people with disabilities.

At first, Hooke was hesitant. She told ABC Life that she feared that Instagram wasn’t a safe place for people with disabilities.

I remember when Instagram became a thing in my friendship group in the summer of 2011. At the time, Instagram didn’t feel like a safe space for someone like me.

Hooke worried that Instagram was just another platform for the privileged.

Hooke joined Instagram

Hooke ended up joining Instagram. She created a heavily private account and she admired attractive influencers.

She then started a podcast and used Instagram to promote her advocacy.

She said utilising Instagram made her “sick with dread”.

Despite her fears, no one laughed at Hooke. In fact, she has built up a supportive community of followers.

Using social media for advocacy

Since building a following, Hooke has used her daily life and content to educate and change minds. She also aims to expand what people define as having a disability.

She wants to inspire people with disabilities:

I hope through my presence on Instagram I am implicitly encouraging other disabled people to find the same power.

People with disabilities need visibility. And chances

Black woman in wheelchair on a footpath down the street
Image: iStock

When I first read about Peta Hooke, I thought it was great. People with disabilities: physical, intellectual or mental need a chance.

They need chances to live and to work, just like anyone else. Unfortunately, people with disabilities are over represented in unemployment statistics.

Having people with disabilities visible and mainstream is important. People need to realise that people with disabilities are just people. They may need a little help or slight adjustments. They can be a baser to society when given the chance.

Challenging beauty standards and influencer culture

It’s great that Hooke uses her platform to challenge beauty standards and influencer culture. People are becoming more and more aware of the damage social media can do. For years, people have worried about teens and influencer culture’s impact on their self – esteem and mental health.

Creator and former Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has even admitted that platforms like Instagram were made to be addictive. Algorithms are deliberately programmed in a way to make certain images popular.

A call to able – bodied people

Anyone can be a part of the change. For those in privileged positions, please consider supporting content creators from marginalised communities.

Like, share and follow their content. Show other people the talents and abilities of people with disabilities. And for those who do support content creators with disabilities (including my followers), thank you very much.

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Instagram linked to poor mental health in young people

Instagram app on device
Image: iStock

The Wall Street Journal uncovered troubling findings on the impact Instagram has on teens.

Instagram’s parent company Facebook Inc conducted the research.

One slide from Facebook’s internal message board last year claimed:

Thirty-two percent of teen girls said when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse.

Another slide noted:

Comparisons on Instagram can change how young women view and describe themselves

Facebook Inc has conducted the research over three years. The consistent findings are worrying.

While not a cause, Instagram has shown to exacerbate depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicidal ideation. 13% British and 6% of American teens blamed Instagram for their suicidal ideation.

Facebook CEO and Head downplay the findings

Not surprisingly, Facebook Inc has downplayed worrying findings.

Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg argued:

The research that we’ve seen is that social apps to connect with other people can have positive mental-health benefits.

Likewise, Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri has also minimised the findings, claiming size of the issue was “quite small”.

Instagram banks on young people

Young people are abandoning Facebook. They have been for almost a decade. However, the number of young people using Instagram has exploded.

People aged twenty-two and under make up 40% of Instagram’s users. On average, US teens spend 50% more time on Instagram than Facebook.

That’s why Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram’s Head Adam Mosseri has downplayed the alarming research. At a Congressional Hearing in March this year, Zuckerberg argued:

The research that we’ve seen is that using social apps to connect with other people can have mental-health benefits

Mosseri downplayed the issues. He said the extent of the problem was “quite small”.

Of course, Mosseri and Zuckerberg will want to minimise links between Facebook, Instagram and youth mental health. Young people on Instagram have become their cash cow.

Instagram and the exploitation of underage children

Canadian Youtuber and podcaster, Josh Barbour is vocal against influencers who exploit children. His campaign was triggered by Myka and James Stauffer’s adoption and ‘rehoming’ of a Chinese child. (I’m not going to use the name the Stauffers gave him).

The case exploded Barbour’s channel, The Dad Challenge Podcast. Since then, Barbour has exposed a whole underbelly of child exploitation on social media.

Piper Rockelle and Liliana K

Two revolting instances of children being exploited on Instagram are Liliana Ketchman (aka Liliana K) and Piper Rockelle.

 

I remember when I saw his video on Ketchman, her account was mass reported. Liliana was underage (twelve, I think). Unfortunately, Instagram refused to take the account down. Reason? Her ‘mother’ (I use that term loosely) ran the account.

I was infuriated. I seriously thought about deleting my Instagram accounts.

A few months later, Barbour exposed the exploitation of Piper Rockelle. Unlike Liliana K, Rockelle was over the age limit (she was fourteen, I think).

The images are beyond revolting.

For me, this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I deleted both my Instagram accounts. Please note,  I don’t begrudge those who still have an Instagram account.

However, if people delete their accounts in revolt, I’m all for it. People should hold Facebook Inc accountable.

Platforms like YouTube and Instagram are potentially putting children in danger. The full impact on child influencer culture is yet to be seen.

 

I’ll be fair to Mark Zuckerberg for a second. Do I believe that he  deliberately created Instagram to exploit children? No. But he is responsible. And Facebook Inc is failing a whole generation.

I’m passionate about mental health. I think that mental health care, especially therapies, should be free for clients. If you feel the same consider signing the Green’s petition here. You can also write to your MP.

Social media: is it a platform for honesty?

 

Facebook logo
Image: Canva

 

 

 

On Tuesday, Channel Ten’s The Project Mitch Wallis, who said that he had a breakdown when taking a trip in Kentucky.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTheProjectTV%2Fvideos%2F10154638796028441%2F&show_text=0&width=560

The breakdown spurred Wallis on to start a campaign “Heart on My Sleeve” on both Twitter and Facebook, encouraging people to be honest about their experiences and feelings on social media.

 

I think it’s a good, and frankly, brave idea (I’ll explain why in a sec).

When on social media, especially Facebook and Instagram, most people only upload photos and write posts that reflect the best aspects of their lives. The happy holiday snaps, the cute kids when they aren’t fighting and (usually) not crying, the happy couple pics, you get the idea.

So, I scrolled through the Heart on My Sleeve Facebook Page recently, and it’s quite brutally honest. If you read the pinned post I embedded above, you’d know what I mean. That’s good.

Here’s the thing, will this campaign take off and change the way people view and use social media? That’s what I’m a bit skeptical about.

I said that this campaign was “brave” because people who are too honest on social media, they often get a backlash, either online or in their personal lives. This is especially true when it comes to conflicts with others. And I get that, to be honest. Unless it’s something to do with the law or something terrible has happened, it’s probably best to work out conflicts among you and the person you have issues with.

So, that’s obvious. But what about talking about things like depression, mental breakdowns, grief? What about photos that don’t look the best? Now, I’ve got to say that my Facebook friends are quite honest in how they’re doing. But for some people, especially younger people, this can be intimidating, especially when a backlash is likely.

Thing is, some – if not most people – only want to hear and read certain things and are, unfortunately, critical of people when they aren’t. So, how do we change this mindset? How do we get rid of the fear of backlash because we may have posted something someone may not like? Also, in terms of mental health, when should someone just seek professional help, rather than airing it online? Is there a potential risk that airing certain things will only exacerbate the problems?

Maybe this campaign can extend to honesty in everyday life, not just on social media. Are you OK? if not, talk to someone, a friend, partner, family member or a professional. We all need someone who we can be honest with. Will it work with three hundred “friends” (I think the average number of friends someone has on Facebook)? Not sure.

I think something could be said about this, for both online and the real world (probably the latter more so). And that’s we need to let people be who they are and express how they feel and let ourselves do the same thing. For some people, social media or a blog may be an ideal platform – at least to an extent. But, for others, it may be better to do things more privately; one on one or in a small group. At least then, you may get more sympathy and/ or understanding. Whatever works, I guess. Anything that prevents someone bottling up too much must be a good thing.

What do you think of the Heart on My Sleeve campaign and honesty on social media? Do you think it’ll ever become a regular thing? Leave your thoughts below.