What the social media ban didn’t teach students: reduced news access and a gap in verification skills

Australia's digital duty of care policy is moving forward alongside the under-16 social media ban that began in December. The federal government has proposed doubling maximum penalties for platforms to $99 million and strengthening the eSafety Commissioner's enforcement powers to ensure platform compliance. These regulatory steps aim to reduce foreseeable harms caused by platforms.

Western Sydney University surveyed more than a thousand young Australians and reported two concerning outcomes. First, while only one in four young people reported a significant change in social media access after the ban, half of those who did report change say they are now getting less news. That means some young people have reduced opportunities to engage with local and global events.

Second, young people's conceptual understanding of how digital media works does not translate into consistent verification practices. Almost half of surveyed young people rarely or never engage in routine verification activities: checking who posted or created a story, using multiple sources to fact-check, running reverse image searches, or switching sources when trustworthiness is in doubt.

A classroom-tested alternative: student publishing

The author describes the School News Project model, where primary students spend a term producing an authentic school newspaper. Students choose topics, conduct interviews, write copy, and perform fact checking because their names and reputations are attached to the publication. That accountability makes verification an essential, habitual part of the workflow rather than an abstract lesson.

1) Accelerate the National Media Literacy Strategy so schools have clear, funded guidance. 2) Fund making as well as studying media: create and support student newsrooms, authentic student-led school newspapers, and allocated timetable time to run them. These measures put students into practical roles where verification becomes necessary and routine.

Regulation that reduces risk on platforms helps, but it does not replace the everyday habits that allow young people to evaluate information. Practical, classroom-based publishing gives students a context in which verification is necessary and repeated until it becomes standard practice. Expedited policy work plus funding for student-led publishing offers a direct route to build the skills the research shows are currently missing.