This is episode 2 of a special 5-part Tech Mirror mini-series, Australia vs Social Media: Inside the world-first online safety experiment.

In this episode, we discuss how the issue of social media harms and the idea of a minimum age restriction became such a political hot topic in the lead up to the 2024 Federal election. We explore the political, social and media forces that lead to the law passing Parliament, notwithstanding reservations of experts.

We speak to Cam Wilson, a technology reporter from Crikey, Lizzie O’Shea (founder and chair of Digital Rights Watch), Professor Amanda Third (co-director of the Young and Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University), Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, and Australia's Privacy Commissioner, Carly Kind.

Links:

Cam Wilson, Crikey https://www.crikey.com.au/author/cam-wilson/

Lizzie O’Shea https://lizzieoshea.com/

Digital Rights Watch https://digitalrightswatch.org.au/

Amanda Third https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/young-and-resilient/people/directors/amanda_third

Julie Inman Grant https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/about-the-commissioner

Carly Kind https://www.oaic.gov.au/

Minister Wells Speaking during Parliament House Question Time (31 July 2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcLpm9SbOrk

ABC News Breakfast (29 November 2024) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niaeYxdlvkw

The Project, 10X Media Group/Network Ten (19 May 2024) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=525CiA19WPI

36 Months campaign https://www.36months.com/

Let Them Be Kids campaign https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/topics/let-them-be-kids

Social Media Summit, NSW & South Australia, October 2024 https://www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government/social-media-summit & https://www.dpc.sa.gov.au/responsibilities/social-media-summit

Report by Chief Justice Robert French, Legal Examination into Social Media Access for Children https://www.premier.sa.gov.au/media-releases/news-archive/banning-social-media-for-children

Government response to the Privacy Act Review Report (September 2023) https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protections/publications/government-response-privacy-act-review-report

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant’s speech at the Royal Society of NSW, W x 3 — The World Wide Web (we weaved)! (July 2024) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSFVrIugy3E

Laws not bans can make kids safer online, Carly Kind, Privacy Commissioner (November 2024) https://www.oaic.gov.au/news/blog/laws-not-bans-can-make-kids-safer-online

Prime Minister and Minister for Communications media conference (November 2024) https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/speech/press-conference-parliament-house

Social Media Age Limit, Office of Impact Analysis (November 2024) https://oia.pmc.gov.au/published-impact-analyses-and-reports/social-media-age-limit

Social media: the good, the bad, and the ugly – Final report, from the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society (November 2024) https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Social_Media_and_Australian_Society/SocialMedia

Statutory Review of the Online Safety Act 2021, led by Delia Rickard, released February 2025 https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/media-release/report-online-safety-act-review-released

Environment and Communications Legislation Committee inquiry into the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 [Provisions] (November 2025) https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/SocialMediaMinimumAge

Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, including the explanatory memorandum and transcripts of all second reading speeches https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r7284

Credits

Written and narrated by Johanna Weaver, Executive Director, Tech Policy Design Institute.

Produced by Olivia O’Flynn & Kate Montague, Audiocraft.

Research by Amy Denmeade.

Original music by Thalia Skopellos.

Created on the lands of the Ngunnawal, Ngambri people and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.

Special thanks to all the team at the Tech Policy Design Institute, without whom the pod would not be possible, especially Zoe Hawkins, Meredith Hodgman, and Dorina Wittmann.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.