MEDIA RELEASE
September 18, 2024

Social media giant Meta’s new teen account features for Instagram do little to alleviate pressure on parents to keep their young people safe from harmful content, Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA) says.

The national organisation that represents more than 3,000 carers and families of those living with an eating disorder renewed its call for an age limit of 16 or higher to be introduced for social media access, saying it was the only way to effectively protect young Australians.

“While credit must be given to Meta for its efforts to safeguard young people, these measures do not provide adequate protection, particularly since they rely on the young people themselves to be truthful about their age,” EDFA Executive Director Jane Rowan says.

“We know this doesn’t happen now so pressure will remain on parents to closely monitor their young person’s accounts and we also know this is often unsuccessful.”

A higher social media age limit was also essential to shield young people from harmful content on other platforms such as SnapChat and TikTok.

“The TikTok algorithm is particularly damaging for young people with body image concerns, so Meta’s move does not in any way eliminate the need for stronger Federal Government intervention via a 16+ social media age limit to protect our kids,” Ms Rowan says.

EDFA has called for an age limit of 16+ to be applied for social media access with effective age verification measures introduced to enforce this. It has also called for increased education for young people in schools about the dangers of social media and additional resources and information for parents.

An EDFA survey found 81% of its carers believed social media had either contributed to the development of their loved one’s eating disorder or hampered their recovery.

“Parents are struggling to keep their children safe online, but they are rarely able to keep up with their children’s advanced online skills and the rapid changes to technology,” Ms Rowan says.

“They are stressed and extremely concerned about the many negative effects they are seeing, including negative body image, disordered eating, and cyberbullying. While they will welcome Meta’s efforts, much more needs to be done.”

EDFA is the only national organisation providing support, education, advocacy and counselling services solely to carers and families of those living with an eating disorder. Established in 2016, EDFA currently has more than 3,000 members and has helped hundreds of carers and families over the years.

For further information, contact EDFA Executive Director Jane Rowan on 0408 780 292 or jane.rowan@edfa.org.au.
Ms Bannister and other carers are also available for interview.