Social Media is Australian Parents' Biggest Concern, Claims Latest Survey

A new study has revealed that social media platforms are Australian parents' biggest concern, pointing to how the applications can affect their children's mental health and well-being. The study reportedly involved a nationwide survey of 631 Australian parents and caregivers looking after 921 youths between 12 and 18.

The study, conducted by Reach Out Australia, points out that with the emergence of TikTok and social media usage amongst the youth during the COVID-19 pandemic, the parents and carers listed, most commonly, that social media use was their area of worry when it comes to the youth.

Parents surveyed expressed concern regarding the usage of digital devices by youth in general, with over half of parents and caregivers choosing internet use as a matter that worried them.

By using open-ended questions, the specific worries that parents and caregivers had about social media, internet use, and gaming emerged through 4 main issues: parental controls, content, safety, and time.

Parents' Areas of Concern on Social Media

Parental control reportedly emerged as a concern as parents have a lack of parental control over what their children are watching and who they are interacting with.

Content, on the other hand, proved to also be a primary concern for parents due to children's possible exposure to "harmful ideas" and "inappropriate content" like adult sites and fake news that a participant viewed as children consuming a lot of information without having the "critical thinking" skills to evaluate it.

Concerns regarding youth safety on the internet also emerged alongside the parents' incapacity to shield the youth from danger. The study says that the participants were particularly apprehensive about their children being around strangers, predators, or other dangerous people, as well as cyberbullying and harassment.

Parents and caregivers significantly raised concerns regarding how much time young people spend on social media. Participants worried that the youth would become addicted to these "addictive" activities.

The surveyed parents stated that the time allegedly spent online and on social media diverted youth's attention from other issues like completing coursework, exercising, and "living real life." Caregivers and parents reportedly observed that there was always some pressure on the youth to be aware of what was happening, turn on, and reply instantaneously to texts from friends.

Worldwide Social Media Safety Concerns

According to the Guardian, the poll results have been consistently supported by research, according to Dr. Rachael Sharman, senior lecturer in psychology at the University of the Sunshine Coast. However, the Doctor noted that it is intriguing to learn that parents are now observing this firsthand.

This new study comes as various worldwide governments and US states point out the dangers of social media amongst the youth, with New York City recently being declared a "toxin" for its effects on the mental health of young people, as well as a lawsuit being filed against YouTube, Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat.

In response to social media's harm against the youth, Big Tech CEOs recently attended a hearing in Congress to to highlight ways to make their apps safer for children in the face of various governments' accusations that they could be harmful.