Under-16s social media ban will damage youth’s political education

Nationally at Year 6 level, just 43% of students achieved the proficient standard

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From this week, Australians aged under 16 will not be able to hold an account on many social media platforms.

In anticipation of the ban, some social media companies have already begun disabling accounts they believe are held by under-16s.

While the nation’s social media ban is hoped to safeguard young people from the dangers of the online world, it also has the potential to inhibit the development of their political knowledge.

At a time when civics education has been found to be seriously inadequate, this could have major implications for our democracy. Engaging with political debates and understanding how the political system operates are important characteristics of what is often known as political knowledge.