17 Nov 2025

Social media regulations and teen wellbeing

Social media changes coming in 2025

New Australian Government regulations will take effect on Monday 10 December 2025 to create safer online environments for young people. Social media companies will be required to take reasonable steps to prevent children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts.

These changes aim to support healthier digital habits and protect developing minds from risks associated with early social media exposure.

What the new regulations involve

Major platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and X, will need to verify users’ ages and restrict accounts for those under 16. The responsibility will sit with the companies, not families or students.

Key points:

Most platforms must verify a user’s age before allowing an account.
Young people may still view some content without logging in.
Educational and communication tools used at school are not affected.
This is a safeguard, not a ban on technology.

The change encourages children to access social platforms when they are emotionally ready and developmentally prepared to manage the experience.

Why this matters for young people

Social media plays a significant role in teenage life. While it fosters creativity and connection, research has linked heavy or unsupervised use to anxiety, disrupted sleep, low self-esteem and distraction.

Delaying access to social platforms can help young people:

develop stronger emotional regulation and critical thinking
build resilience to comparison, cyberbullying and misinformation
strengthen offline relationships and routines.

Less exposure in early adolescence supports better concentration, healthier sleep and improved overall wellbeing.

Benefits for teen wellbeing

Social media regulation can help support:

healthier self-image by reducing exposure to unrealistic standards
improved focus at school and home
stronger face-to-face friendships and teamwork
better understanding of privacy, consent and digital boundaries by the time students reach 16.

These changes offer a valuable opportunity for young people to reflect on their digital habits and to rebuild balance between online and offline life.

How Churchie will support students and families

Churchie welcomes this national shift as part of our commitment to promoting balanced, thoughtful technology use. Across the coming weeks and early in Term 1 2026, the school will:

include classroom discussions on digital wellbeing and online safety
share resources from the eSafety Commissioner and SchoolTV
embed guidance into the Wellbeing Curriculum
provide support through housemasters and the counselling team for students adjusting to new boundaries.

We recognise that these changes may feel significant for some students. Our focus will remain on support, understanding and open communication.

How parents can help at home

You can support your son through these changes by:

talking openly about the new rules and their purpose
revisiting device use as a family, particularly around bedtime and homework
modelling balanced technology habits
encouraging cocurricular activities such as sport, music or volunteering
using trusted sources such as esafety.gov.au and the Churchie SchoolTV page
seeking support if your son feels worried or isolated as habits shift.

A shared responsibility

These regulations represent an important step toward protecting the mental health of young Australians. By working together, families, schools and students can promote healthy technology use and build strong, supportive relationships both online and offline.