NetSafe had expressed concern around how the ban will work and what the ramifications could be for youth.
In Northland, Tai Tokerau Principals’ Association spokesman and Whangārei principal Pat Newman was fully supportive.
“We know that in Whangārei we’ve had teenage suicides as a result of bullying on the internet.”
He said some children had been “scared stiff” to attend school because of cyber-bullying.
Newman believed social media allowed for a disconnect that made it easy for young people to write “nasty, vindictive things”.
Children as young as 11 were sending explicit images through social media platforms, too.
“It’s easy to send photos of yourself that in 10 years you may not want people to have seen.”
Newman said children as young as 9 were organising fights online.
The issue came to light in the media last year when a 14-year-old was left with a concussion and other injuries after a violent assault at the Fireworks Spectacular event.
The video, circulated widely on social media, showed the boy being kicked in the head.
Two students were also assaulted at Kerikeri High School last month, with principal Mike Clent concerned a video of the fight may have been circulating online.
Newman believed social media encouraged “inappropriate adult behaviour” to be undertaken by youngsters.
“We would not let a 10-year-old hop behind the wheel of a fast car and drive off without anybody supervising them,” he said.
“Yet we let them play with and use something just as lethal.”
Newman acknowledged social media was a valuable tool in the right hands but people under 16 were still developing.
Principals were doing all they could to educate and prevent harm but Newman said a level of responsibility needed to come from parents as well.
Netsafe chief executive Brent Carey said Australia’s Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill was an example of legislative gaps.
“Our decades of work in this space have shown us the multifaceted nature of these challenges, and effective solutions typically require a more nuanced and long-term approach.”
Carey said implementation of the bill and subsequent challenges were of significant concern.
Some challenges with Australia’s ban included exemptions for platforms like messaging apps, online gaming platforms and services for health and education.
“Such exemptions could lead to inconsistencies in online safety measures and potentially shift risks to less moderated environments.”
He said the Australian Human Rights Commission had concerns the ban was a “blunt instrument” that could inadvertently harm young people by cutting access to support networks.
Whangārei Intermediate School learning support co-ordinator Christine Thomson supported the ban.
She had observed that students between 10 and 13 years old frequently used social media without supervision.
Thomson had seen situations where students had spoken to people posing as teens.
Fights were also organised, filmed and posted “immediately” online, she said.
Cyber-bullying had driven some students to be so anxious they avoided school altogether as well.
Thomson said the problem was difficult to fully police as pages or groups that were shut down often resurfaced under new profiles.
Serious incidents were often reported to Netsafe or police, where required.
She felt students were too young to fully understand the responsibility social media use required.
If you’re concerned about the immediate safety of you or someone else, please call 111. If you want help or expert incident advice, you can contact Netsafe. Their service is free, non-judgemental and available seven days a week.
Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.
