Australia implemented a social media ban for under-16s on December 10 2025. It has prompted debate about how best to protect young people in an increasingly volatile digital landscape. Concerns about online harms from misinformation to extremist narratives are legitimate. Insights from youth education initiatives across Europe, including the ARENAS project, suggest a more nuanced response. If we want to empower young people to navigate digital spaces safely, the foundation must be media literacy, not simply removing access.
The media ecosystem young people inhabit today is defined by speed, volume, and emotional intensity. They encounter social posts, videos, opinionated commentary, AI-generated visuals and audio, and algorithmically amplified narratives, all at a scale unmatched by previous generations. This environment offers enormous opportunities for creativity and connection, but it also allows misinformation and extremist narratives to flourish, exploiting uncertainty and sensationalism. Media literacy provides the technical, cognitive, social, civic, and creative capacities young people need to access and critically interpret modern media environments.
Some countries, such as Finland, have recognised this by embedding multiliteracy across their national curriculum rather than relegating it to a single subject. This systemic, whole-school approach—supported by platforms like Mediataitokoulu—shows that when young people learn to evaluate sources, understand visual manipulation, and question narratives, they become better prepared to engage thoughtfully with the world around them. Restrictions may buy time, but education builds capacity.
Marginalised young people are more vulnerable to online manipulation than most. For young people with experiences of justice involvement, limited digital access, disrupted education, and reduced support networks often deepen the digital divide. Yet these are precisely the individuals who are often targeted in an unrestricted environment. Education and media literacy equip them to understand digital risks, resist harmful influence, and make informed choices in a world where information is abundant but not always trustworthy.
Australia’s new social media age limit addresses a global concern: young people need protection. But protection without empowerment risks leaving them unprepared for the realities they will inevitably face. A ban may temporarily shield them from harmful content, but it does not teach them to recognise manipulation, challenge misinformation, or engage responsibly once they turn sixteen. If anything, it emphasises the urgent need for educational approaches like those being developed within ARENAS—approaches that prioritise critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and inclusive access to digital competencies.
Communities, institutions, and policymakers have a responsibility to keep young people safe today and to ensure they can confidently and critically navigate the digital world tomorrow. Media literacy is the pathway that makes this possible. It is an investment in resilience, empowerment, and social justice.
If we are committed to reducing harm and countering extremist narratives, then media literacy must stand alongside any regulatory measures. Restrictions may limit exposure, but education builds agency. ARENAS is currently developing educational tools for young people, which will be pilot tested in early 2026 and then published later in the year. Follow ARENAS social media channels to be the first to learn about new publications.